Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has announced mandatory Sender ID registration from 31 January 2023.

A Sender ID is usually an alphanumeric identifier, such as "TexcellSMS" It is a way for recipients to identify a brand or company when sending mobile messages, rather than a string of sender numbers that appear in the message. This is undoubtedly good for brand promotion.

From 31 January 2023, any organization that wishes to use a Sender ID when sending mobile messages must register with the Singapore SMS Sender ID Registry. All unregistered sender identities will be listed as "Likely-SCAM".

Why is Sender ID registration required?

Singapore's IMDA first implemented Sender ID registration on a voluntary basis in March 2022, and fraudulent and malicious SMS activities decreased by 64%. At the same time, brands that value good customer relationships are also generally aware of the importance of Sender ID registration for SMS recipients to trust to contact them.

While it is the mobile operator’s responsibility to stop fraudulent SMS messages from reaching their customers, they still need system rules to identify and prevent these abuses in a timely manner. Therefore, registering a Sender ID will help mobile operators to track abuses by specific SMS senders more effectively. With a registered Sender ID, your messages will bypass filters that block unregistered traffic in the mobile operator’s network and system. This not only improves SMS delivery rates, but also helps to gain trust as recipients recognize the brand’s Sender ID.

What is the Sender ID registration process in Singapore?

If you plan to use an alphanumeric Sender ID to send mobile messages in Singapore, you need to follow the following steps.

Create an account and register your Sender ID with the Singapore SMS Registry.

Before we officially use Sender IDs in SMS sending or SMS API sending, we will conduct a UAT to ensure that the registered Sender ID is showing up properly. The time required to complete the business process and Sender ID registration varies; and local regulatory rules may affect the timeliness. Therefore, it is best to start the registration process as early as possible so that you can start using Sender ID to send SMS and marketing campaigns.

How to register for Sender ID through the SMS Registration Portal?

Before you begin, you should have the following information ready as it is required to complete the Sender ID application.

Contact Person
Company Billing Information
Billing Address
Singapore Company Business Registration Number - Unique Entity Number (UEN)

If you are a foreign company that does not have a business registration in Singapore, you can still send SMS using Sender ID. Simply register your business first, and then apply for Sender ID using SSIR.

Once you have successfully registered your business in Singapore, you can simply apply for Sender ID in the SMS Registration Portal by following the steps mentioned above.