SMS sender ID

The name or number shown as the sender of an SMS, which in many countries must be registered and approved before use.

A sender ID is what appears in the 'from' field of a text message: a short brand name such as 'MWILAFARM', a short code, or a phone number. Customers use it to recognise who is writing.

Many countries now require sender IDs to be registered with operators or regulators, often with business documents and a letter authorising the sender. Unregistered sender IDs may be blocked or replaced with a generic one, which makes the message look untrustworthy. Approval can also depend on the message type, such as transactional, promotional or OTP.

Register a sender ID that matches your brand closely, and apply early because approval takes time. In Marichi Talks, a business sends SMS only from its own approved sender ID, approved per country and message type. SMS is available in Zambia and Tanzania today, priced per message part, with delivery reports per message.