Sender resource applications and country requirements

Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.onesignal.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Every sender resource must be approved before you can send messages on it. The approval process verifies that your brand is legitimate and that your messaging program meets carrier and regulatory requirements for that country. There are generally two steps to every sender resource application:

1. Brand vetting: Proves your organization is a legitimate business. You submit company information (legal name, address, tax ID, website) and a vetting body reviews it.
2. Campaign approval: Proves your specific messaging program is compliant. You submit sample messages, your opt-in and opt-out flows, and a description of the use case. A single brand can have multiple campaigns (for example, one for promotional, one for transactional, and one for OTP).

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Sender resource types

These traits apply universally across all countries. Country-specific requirements are listed in the sections below. Alphanumeric sender IDs:

• One-way only: alphanumeric sender IDs cannot receive inbound messages. STOP keyword handling, double opt-in, tap-to-text, and two-way messaging are not available. Opt-out must be managed via an unsubscribe link in the message body. See Consent keyword management for how to build a web-based unsubscribe flow.

Long codes:

• Two-way: long codes can receive inbound messages, enabling STOP/HELP keywords, double opt-in, tap-to-text, and two-way messaging.
• MMS support varies by country.

Short codes:

• Two-way: short codes can receive inbound messages.
• Country-specific: a short code only works in the country where it is provisioned.
• Highest throughput of any SMS number type.
• Longest approval timelines (weeks to months) and typically require a premium monthly fee.
• Not available in every country.

Toll-free numbers:

• Two-way: toll-free numbers can receive inbound messages.
• Available in the US and Canada only. The same toll-free number covers both countries.

RCS:

• Two-way: RCS supports inbound messages, keyword replies, and action buttons.
• Branded sender: recipients see your business name, logo, and brand color instead of a phone number.
• Requires a separate RCS sender resource in addition to an SMS sender resource. SMS is used as an automatic fallback when the recipient’s device or carrier does not support RCS.
• Not available in every country.

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Application management

OneSignal SMS customers: Our compliance team handles carrier and regulator interactions on your behalf. Whether the reviewer listed in the country tables below is “OneSignal” or a third-party body (like TCR in the US, ACMA in Australia, or ComReg in Ireland), OneSignal submits to those bodies on your behalf. Twilio integration customers: You work with Twilio directly through their console or support team to manage sender resource applications, brand registration, and campaign approvals. Twilio submits to those bodies on your behalf.

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Standard information required for every application

Regardless of country or sender resource type, every application requires the following. Prepare this before starting: Brand information:

• Legal company name
• Company address
• Tax ID or business registration number (format varies by country)
• Company website URL
• Vertical / industry

Campaign information:

• Use case type (promotional, transactional, OTP, or mixed)
• Sample messages (typically 2–5 examples of real message content)
• Opt-in flow description with screenshots or description of the collection point and disclosure language
• Opt-out flow description (for example, STOP keyword handling, confirmation reply, or unsubscribe link for alphanumeric sender IDs)
• HELP keyword response
• Message frequency (approximate volume per subscriber)
• Privacy policy URL
• Terms of service URL

Some countries require additional information beyond this standard set. Those are called out in each country section below.

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Americas

Sender resource types, reviewers, and approval timelines for markets across North, Central, and South America.

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United States

Types: Toll-free number, 10DLC, Short code, RCS Additional notes:

• RCS requires additional brand assets: logo, brand color, agent description, and launch URL. Carriers currently prioritize notable brands (Fortune 1000), high-quality rich content experiences, and established messaging volume (100K+ msgs/month).
• 10DLC throughput is determined by your brand’s trust score, assigned during TCR vetting. Enhanced vetting through Aegis and WMC Global can unlock higher tiers.
• Short code brand vetting through Aegis is non-transferable. Campaign approval goes through CSCA, then each carrier independently. Not all industries are eligible.

Governed by TCPA (federal) and CTIA Messaging Principles. Regulator: FCC.

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State-specific SMS laws

Beyond the federal TCPA, 15+ states have their own SMS legislation that may impose stricter requirements. The state law applies based on the recipient’s location, not your business location.

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Canada

Types: Toll-free number (shared with US), Short code, RCS Additional notes:

• Toll-free uses the same number as the US. No separate application needed.
• Bilingual keywords required: STOP/ARRET, HELP/AIDE must be supported in both English and French.
• Short codes beginning with “4” are reserved. Max message length is 320 characters (vs. 160 in US).
• Quebec (Bill 96): Marketing SMS to Quebec recipients should be in French or bilingual.
• RCS: Uses the same toll-free number as SMS and US RCS. No separate application needed.

Governed by CASL (Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation), enforced by the CRTC.

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Argentina

Types: Short code Short-code-only market. Alphanumeric sender IDs are overwritten with a random short code. Governed by Argentina’s Personal Data Protection Law (Ley 25.326). Regulator: ENACOM.

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Brazil

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Short code, RCS Short codes are the primary A2P method. Long codes are not available. Additional notes:

• Short code applications require opt-in/opt-out flows in Portuguese.
• Alphanumeric sender IDs require pre-registration and are only available on TIM, Claro, and Vivo. Other carriers do not deliver alphanumeric-originated messages. Allow ~10 weeks for provisioning.
• Marketing SMS prohibited 9 PM–9 AM and all day Sundays. Brazil spans 3 time zones.
• Prohibited content: adult, cannabis, controlled substances, contest/sweepstakes, telecom service promotions.
• Some carriers do not support unicode. Test before sending emojis or special characters.
• RCS: Requires creating a separate RCS sender specifically for Brazil (cannot reuse other countries’ senders).

Governed by LGPD (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados). Regulators: ANPD (data protection), ANATEL (telecom).

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Chile

Types: Long code Additional notes:

• Marketing messages are not allowed: transactional and OTP only.
• Political messages prohibited.
• Rate-limited: max 10 messages per 60 seconds from the same long code.
• Concatenation not supported: keep messages within a single segment (160 chars GSM-7).

Governed by Chile’s Data Protection Law (Ley 19.628). Regulator: SUBTEL.

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Mexico

Types: Long code, RCS Additional notes:

• REVOE (Do Not Contact registry): do not send marketing to registered individuals.
• RCS: RCS sender info must be in Spanish.

Governed by LFPDPPP (Federal Data Protection Law). Regulators: INAI (data protection), IFT (telecom).

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Peru

Types: Long code Additional notes: Gracias No Insista (Do Not Contact registry): do not send marketing to registered individuals. Governed by Peru’s Personal Data Protection Law (Ley 29733). Regulator: OSIPTEL.

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Puerto Rico

Types: Same as United States (Toll-free, 10DLC, Short code, RCS) Puerto Rico uses US phone numbers (+1 area codes) and falls under US regulations. See United States.

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Europe

Sender resource types, reviewers, and approval timelines for markets across the UK, EU, EEA, and Switzerland.

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United Kingdom

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, Short code, RCS Additional notes:

• Protected Sender IDs (MEF or BT protected brands) must be pre-registered.
• Non-compliant alphanumeric sender IDs may be blocked or penalized by carriers. Generic sender IDs (Verify, OTP, Alert, Info, etc.) are blocked by BT and other carriers.
• Short code carrier freeze: mid-December through early January. Age-restricted content (alcohol, gambling) evaluated case-by-case. Cannabis prohibited; CBD permissible.
• RCS: RCS sender profile may not contain international phone numbers. Only +44 UK numbers allowed.

Governed by UK-GDPR, PECR (2003), and Data Protection Act 2018. “Soft opt-in” exception applies for existing customers. Regulators: Ofcom (telecom), ICO (data protection).

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Austria

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, RCS Additional notes: Delivery to M2M numbers is not supported over long codes. Governed by GDPR and Austrian Telecommunications Act (TKG 2021). Regulator: RTR.

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Belgium

Types: Long code, RCS Long-code-only market, one of the few European countries where alphanumeric sender IDs are not available. Include your brand name in the message body. Additional notes: Trilingual market (Dutch, French, German): support HELP/STOP in the end user’s local language. Gambling/betting/casino permitted only for licensed companies. Governed by GDPR and Belgian Electronic Communications Act. Regulator: BIPT.

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Denmark

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, RCS Additional notes: Gambling/betting/casino permitted only for licensed companies. Robinson List (Robinsonlisten): do not send marketing to registered individuals. Governed by GDPR and Danish Marketing Practices Act. Regulator: Danish Business Authority.

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Finland

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, RCS Additional notes:

• If your sender ID matches a name on Traficom’s protected list, you must provide an LOA and Numbering Decision.
• Gambling and lottery content is strictly prohibited, not just restricted to licensed companies.

Governed by GDPR and Finnish Information Society Code. Regulator: Traficom.

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France

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Short code, RCS No long codes available in France. Additional notes:

• Marketing SMS blocked on Sundays, public holidays, and after 10 PM. Messages sent outside permitted times are queued.
• Short codes: 3-month minimum term, 3-month notice to return. Inactive codes (30 days no traffic) risk withdrawal. Carrier freezes in August and December.
• URL shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl) are strictly forbidden.
• CONTACT keyword must return company name + support contact. STOP must be in French.
• Housing energy marketing ban effective July 2025.

Governed by GDPR, French Data Protection Act, and ARCEP regulations. Regulators: CNIL (data protection), ARCEP (telecom), AF2M (industry code of conduct).

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Germany

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, Short code, RCS Additional notes: Short code carrier freezes: November–mid-January and July–mid-September. Inactive short codes risk withdrawal. RCS: Only one RCS sender per name and per use case. Website, ToS, and privacy policy must be in German. Governed by GDPR, German Unfair Competition Act (UWG), and TDDDG. Regulator: Bundesnetzagentur.

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Iceland

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code Additional notes:

• URL allow-listing required: Icelandic carriers block SMS containing web URLs unless the URL (or domain) has been pre-approved. Contact your OneSignal account manager to submit the request. Allow-list your opt-out URL before sending any messages, since this is the only way to provide an unsubscribe mechanism in Iceland.
• Two-way SMS is not supported: long codes cannot receive replies. STOP keywords, two-way messaging, and keyword-based opt-out are unavailable. Opt-out must be managed via an unsubscribe link.
• Use alphanumeric sender IDs for messages containing URLs, as domestic long codes with URL content are filtered even after allow-listing.
• Gambling and lottery content is strictly prohibited.

Governed by GDPR via EEA Agreement (not EU). Regulator: Fjarskiptastofa.

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Ireland

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, RCS Alphanumeric-sender-ID-only market. Registration with ComReg is mandatory. Additional notes:

• ComReg Sender ID registration is mandatory (via their Sender ID Protection Registry portal). MEF Protected Sender IDs also require an LOA.
• Since July 2025, unregistered sender IDs are stamped “Likely Scam.” Since October 2025, unregistered sender IDs are blocked entirely.
• Generic sender IDs (Verify, OTP, Alert, Info, SMS, Notify, etc.) are blocked.
• Cannabis content strictly prohibited.

Governed by GDPR and ePrivacy Regulations. Regulators: DPC (data protection), ComReg (telecom + SMS Sender ID Registry).

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Italy

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, Short code, RCS Additional notes:

• Marketing SMS prohibited 10 PM–8 AM and all day Sundays.
• AGCOM Code of Conduct for Aliases (resolution 42/13/CIR) applies to alphanumeric sender IDs. This is a mandatory regulatory requirement.
• Cannabis content strictly prohibited.

Governed by GDPR and Italian Data Protection Code. Regulators: Garante (data protection), AGCOM (telecom).

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Luxembourg

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID Additional notes:

• No concatenation: messages cannot exceed 160 characters (GSM-7) or 70 characters (Unicode).
• No two-way SMS: inbound messaging not supported. Opt-out via unsubscribe link only.
• Trilingual market (Luxembourgish, French, German): support HELP/STOP in local language.

Governed by GDPR. Regulators: CNPD (data protection), ILR (telecom).

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Netherlands

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, RCS Governed by GDPR and Dutch Telecommunications Act. Regulators: AP (data protection), ACM (telecom).

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Norway

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, RCS Additional notes: Gambling and lottery content strictly prohibited. Reservasjonsregisteret (Do Not Contact registry): do not send marketing to registered individuals. Governed by GDPR via EEA Agreement (not EU). Regulator: Nkom.

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Poland

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, RCS Additional notes:

• Generic alphanumeric sender IDs are actively filtered by Polish operators. Use a brand-specific sender ID.
• URL shorteners strictly prohibited. Full URLs in long SMS (>160 chars) may also trigger blocking. Test before sending at scale.

Governed by GDPR and Polish Telecommunications Law. Regulators: UODO (data protection), UKE (telecom).

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Portugal

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, RCS Additional notes: RCS senders must be approved in Spain first before Portugal. Governed by GDPR. Regulators: CNPD (data protection), ANACOM (telecom).

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Spain

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, Short code, RCS Additional notes: MEF Protected Sender IDs require an LOA. Cannabis content strictly prohibited. Lista Robinson: do not send marketing to registered individuals. Governed by GDPR and LOPDGDD. Regulators: AEPD (data protection), CNMC (telecom).

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Sweden

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, Short code, RCS Additional notes: Gambling, lottery, and adult content restricted, may require case-by-case carrier approval. NIX-Telefon (Do Not Contact registry): do not send marketing to registered individuals. Governed by GDPR and Swedish Electronic Communications Act (LEK). Regulators: IMY (data protection), PTS (telecom).

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Switzerland

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code Not an EU member. GDPR does not apply directly. Additional notes:

• Cannabis content strictly prohibited.
• Multilingual market (German, French, Italian, Romansh): support HELP/STOP in local language.
• Asterisk-Eintrag (*): individuals marked with an asterisk in the phone directory should not receive unsolicited commercial communications.

Governed by Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (revDSG/nDSG). Regulator: FDPIC (data protection), OFCOM (telecom).

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Asia

Sender resource types, reviewers, and approval timelines for markets across Asia and the Middle East. Many countries in this region have mandatory sender ID registration.

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Hong Kong

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code Additional notes:

• OFCA registration mandatory since February 2024. Registered sender IDs display with a # prefix as a verification indicator (for example, “#ACME”). China Mobile Hong Kong blocks unregistered sender IDs entirely.
• Prohibited: firearms, gambling, adult, money/loan, political, religious, controlled substances, cannabis, alcohol.

Governed by Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO). Regulator: OFCA.

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India

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID (DLT registration required), Short code Additional notes: DLT registration (domestic gateway):

• DLT is India’s sender registration system, operated by each major carrier (Jio, Airtel, Vodafone Idea, BSNL, MTNL). You must register on the DLT portal of the carrier(s) you want to reach.
• You register three things: (1) your entity (brand identity, verified with PAN card, GST number, etc.), (2) your header (6-character alphanumeric sender ID), and (3) your content templates (actual message templates with variable placeholders). Every message you send must match an approved template.
• Sender ID is preserved with a 2-letter carrier prefix indicating use case category (for example, “VM-TWILIO” where VM = transactional on Vodafone Idea).
• Use cases restricted to: transactional, service implicit, and service explicit only. Promotional messaging via DLT-approved 6-digit sender IDs is not yet supported by Twilio.
• India’s Do-Not-Disturb (DND) registry is respected on the domestic gateway.

International gateway (fallback):

• No DLT registration required. Messages sent via random ILDO-approved short codes (format 5NNNN–5NNNNNNN).
• Sender ID is not preserved. It is overwritten with a random 5–9 digit number regardless of what you set.
• Bypasses India’s DND database and has no time-of-day restrictions.
• Useful as a fallback delivery route, but not suitable for branded messaging.

General: Shortened URLs not allowed. Two-way SMS supported. MMS not supported. Prohibited: firearms, gambling, adult, money/loan, political, religious, controlled substances, cannabis, alcohol. Governed by IT Act 2000 and TRAI Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations. Regulator: TRAI.

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Japan

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID Additional notes:

• Phone numbers in message content not allowed.
• KDDI network limitation: Messages with 5 or more concatenated segments experience delivery delays on KDDI’s platform. The message still delivers, but slower than normal. NTT Docomo and SoftBank are not affected.
• International numeric sender IDs are prepended with 010 per KDDI Japan policy.
• MMS not available.
• Prohibited: firearms, gambling, adult, money/loan, lead gen, Text2Pay, political, religious, controlled substances, cannabis, alcohol.

Governed by APPI and Telecommunications Business Act. Regulator: MIC.

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Macao

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID Additional notes: No pre-registration required. Two-way and MMS not supported. Governed by Personal Data Protection Act (Law 8/2005). Regulator: DSRT.

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Malaysia

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID Additional notes:

• “RM 0.00” header and brand name mandatory in all messages.
• URLs, phone numbers, PII requests blocked (MCMC Sept 2024).
• Sender IDs overwritten with operator short codes for A2P.
• Marketing hours 8 PM–8 AM prohibited.
• Banking SMS OTP restricted.
• Digi Malaysia: no concatenation support. Messages exceeding one segment are delivered as multiple separate texts, potentially out of order.

Governed by PDPA 2010 and Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. Regulator: MCMC.

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Philippines

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code Additional notes:

• Registration mandatory since April 7, 2025; unregistered blocked.
• IDs cannot contain “TEST”, “MESSAGE”, “SMS”, or carrier names (“SMART”, “SUN”).
• Shortened URLs prohibited. Banking URLs must be allow-listed.
• Phone numbers in content not allowed.
• URLs only via registered alphanumeric (not long codes).
• Prohibited: financial loans, real estate, political, adult, alcohol, drugs, tobacco. Gaming prohibited for offshore (ok for registered PIGO).

Governed by Data Privacy Act 2012 (RA 10173). Regulator: NTC.

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Singapore

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code, RCS Additional notes:

• SGNIC mandatory since Jan 30, 2023; unregistered = “Likely-SCAM”.
• Register SGNIC first, then register with OneSignal with proof.
• De-register from SGNIC when releasing numbers.
• WhatsApp/LINE links not allowed.
• Prohibited: firearms, gambling, adult, money/loan, political, religious, controlled substances, cannabis, alcohol.
• RCS: RCS senders must follow the same SSIR Singapore registration process as A2P SMS sender IDs.

Governed by PDPA 2012 and Spam Control Act. Regulator: IMDA.

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South Korea

Types: International long code only Additional notes:

• Numeric only; alphanumeric not supported.
• Auto-prefixed 009/006.
• Messages auto-appended [Web 발신] or [국제발신].
• EUC-KR encoding only.
• Concatenation not supported: messages exceeding one segment are delivered as separate texts, potentially out of order.
• Two-way not supported.
• Prohibited: adult, gambling.

Governed by PIPA. Regulators: KCC, PIPC.

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Taiwan

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID Additional notes:

• Brand name required at the beginning of every message; must be registered.
• URLs strictly prohibited unless pre-registered/allowlisted. Shortened URLs never allowed.
• Marketing hours 12:30 PM–1:30 PM and 9 PM–9 AM prohibited.
• Two-way not supported.
• Prohibited: firearms, gambling, adult, money/loan, political, religious, controlled substances, cannabis, alcohol, WhatsApp/LINE links.

Governed by PDPA. Regulator: NCC.

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Thailand

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code Additional notes:

• Registration mandatory since Oct 6, 2025; unregistered blocked.
• URLs must be registered with sender ID. Shortened URLs prohibited. Banks cannot send URLs.
• Marketing hours 9 PM–9 AM prohibited.
• AIS blocks non-Thai numbers (opt-out: *137).
• Inactive sender IDs may be deactivated.
• Loan content requires Bank of Thailand license.
• Two-way not supported.

Governed by PDPA B.E. 2562 and Computer Crime Act. Regulator: NBTC.

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Turkey

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID Additional notes:

• Alphanumeric only; no long codes or short codes.
• Message length reduced: GSM7=155, UCS2=65 (5 chars reserved for operator IDs).
• Effective April 1, 2026: non-Turkish entities cannot send URLs.
• Promotional traffic prohibited since Feb 2021.
• Northern Cyprus not supported. Two-way not supported.
• İYS manages consent.
• Prohibited: gambling, politics, religion.

Governed by Law 6698 and Electronic Communications Law 5809. Regulator: BTK.

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United Arab Emirates

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID Additional notes:

• Alphanumeric only; no long codes or short codes.
• Unregistered IDs blocked entirely.
• Promotional IDs must carry “AD-” prefix (counts toward 11-char limit).
• Promotional messaging ONLY for domestic UAE entities.
• URLs, phone numbers, PII requests not allowed. Avoid URL shorteners.
• Marketing hours 9 PM–7 AM prohibited (queued).
• Health services sender ID requires UAE health authority approval.
• EURO symbol requires UCS2.
• Two-way not supported.
• Prohibited: gambling, adult, money/loan, political, religious, controlled substances, cannabis, alcohol.

Governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021. Regulator: TDRA.

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Oceania

Sender resource types, reviewers, and approval timelines for Australia and New Zealand.

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Australia

Types: Alphanumeric sender ID, Long code Additional notes:

• As of July 1, 2026, all alphanumeric sender IDs must be registered under the ACMA SMS Sender ID Register. Unregistered sender IDs may be blocked.
• Long codes support MMS in Australia (one of the few international markets where this works).
• Delivery to M2M numbers is not supported.

Governed by Spam Act 2003 and Spam Regulations 2021. Regulator: ACMA. Unsubscribe must remain functional for 30 days; opt-outs actioned within 5 business days.

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New Zealand

Types: Short code Short-code-only market. NZ operators mandate dedicated short codes for all A2P messaging. Additional notes:

• Application requires: requestor details (name, position, phone, email, address) and a helpdesk 0800/0508 number + email.
• Every message must include: “Reply to this SMS will be charged” with per-carrier charges (Vodafone/Spark/Skinny 20c, 2 Degrees 9c).
• MMS is not supported. Carrier freeze: December through mid-January.
• Prohibited content includes firearms, gambling, adult, money/loan, political, religious, controlled substances, and cannabis.

Governed by Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007. Regulators: TCF, DIA.

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FAQ

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How long does sender resource approval take?

Timelines vary by country and sender resource type. Alphanumeric sender IDs in most countries take 1–5 business days. 10DLC in the US takes 1–3 weeks. Short codes and RCS typically take 8–16 weeks depending on the market. See each country section above for specifics.

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Can I use the same sender resource for multiple countries?

No. Sender resources are provisioned for a specific country. The exception is US toll-free numbers, which also cover Canada without a separate application.

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What happens if I send without a registered sender resource?

Messages may be blocked, filtered, or delivered without your sender ID. In countries with mandatory registration (for example, Ireland, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand), unregistered sender IDs are blocked entirely.

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Do I need a separate sender resource for each use case?

Yes. Each use case (promotional, transactional, OTP) requires its own approved campaign. Sending outside the approved use case can result in campaign suspension or sender resource revocation.

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