In short
- Template: the fixed content of a message; names, codes, dates and amounts change per message.
- The rules: CST's regulations cover template registration requests and the filtering of bulk SMS without an approved sender name or approved template.
- On Digital Connect: templates are approved by your team and by Interkey before use.
- Sender name: Interkey registers your sender name with the operators through CST's central bulk-SMS system during onboarding.
- Permit: Interkey holds CST's permit to provide short message services (SMS).
What a message template is
CST's regulations define a message template as the fixed content of a message. Everything that stays the same from one recipient to the next is the template; the parts that change for each recipient are variables.
| Message type | Example message | Variables |
|---|---|---|
| Service update | Your order 58214 has shipped and will arrive on 16 Jan. Track it: example.com/t | order number, date |
| Reminder | Reminder: your appointment at our Olaya branch is on 18 Jan at 10:30. To reschedule, call 920000000. | branch, date, time |
| One-time password | Your login code is 482915. It is valid for 5 minutes. Do not share this code with anyone, including our staff. | code, validity |
| Promotional | Weekend offer: 20% off all orders until Saturday. Shop: example.com/w Opt out: example.com/s | none |
The example.com links stand for pages on your own domain. If you change the fixed text, treat it as a new template and send it for approval again.
What CST's regulations say about SMS template registration
The rules below come from CST's regulations for SMS anti-spam (version 3, October 2022, Decision 493/1444). Clause numbers are given so your compliance team can check the source.
| Rule | What it says | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Template definition | A message template is the fixed content of a message. | 2.16 |
| Template registration | CST may require the operators to run a bulk SMS e-system that receives and processes message template registration requests. | 4.2.2 |
| Filtering | The same e-system filters and blocks bulk SMS that do not carry an approved sender name or an approved message template. | 4.2.5 |
| Sender names | Sender names are registered with the operators through CST's central bulk-SMS system. | 4.2.1, 4.3.1 |
| One-time passwords | A message that contains a one-time password must say why the code was sent, not the code alone. | 4.6.2 |
| Promotional names | The suffix "-AD" is added to promotional sender names. | 4.3.10 |
| Consent and opt-out | Promotional messages need explicit consent, not buried in a privacy policy or contract, and opt-outs are honoured within 24 hours. | 4.6.6 |
Read the current text on cst.gov.sa before you launch: CST's regulations for SMS anti-spam. For the full set of sender rules, see the Saudi SMS compliance guide.
How template approval works on Digital Connect
- Write the fixed text and mark which parts change per message.
- Classify the message: one-time password, service message or promotional. The classification decides which sender name you use and which rules apply.
- Check the length. A message in the GSM-7 alphabet fits 160 characters in one SMS, or 153 per part when longer. Arabic text uses Unicode: 70 characters in one SMS, or 67 per part.
- Your team approves the template under your own sign-off process.
- Interkey approves the template as well.
- Use the approved template in campaigns from the web platform or in messages your systems send through the API.
Template checklist before you submit
- One clear purpose. Each template does one job: a code, an update, a reminder or an offer.
- The reason for every code. An OTP template says what the code is for, not just the digits.
- The right sender name. Promotional templates go out under a promotional sender name with the "-AD" suffix; service and OTP templates under your service name.
- Links on your own domain. Use a domain your customers recognise. CST's regulations make senders responsible for the content of links in their messages, and providers check the links in identical messages sent to many numbers.
- An opt-out on promotional templates. Keep the same opt-out wording in every campaign.
- One segment where you can. Count characters with the SMS segment calculator, especially for Arabic.
- No offer inside a service message. A service update that carries an offer becomes promotional. See transactional vs promotional SMS.
- Arabic and English versions approved separately, if you send both.
Who does what
| Step | Your team | Interkey |
|---|---|---|
| Sender name | Chooses the name and supplies the documents requested | Registers it with the operators through CST's central bulk-SMS system during onboarding |
| Template text | Writes the fixed text and variables | Approves the template alongside your team |
| Consent records | Collects and keeps proof of consent for promotional messages | — |
| Sending | Schedules campaigns or sends from your systems | Provides the web platform and the REST, SMPP and SOAP interfaces |
| Results | Reads delivery results | Provides a delivery receipt for each message and exportable reports |
Mistakes that slow approval down
- Templates with no fixed text, where the whole message is a variable. Approval applies to fixed content, so a fully variable message leaves nothing to approve.
- A code with no reason, which the regulations do not allow for OTP messages.
- An offer added to a service template, which turns it into a promotional message.
- Shortened links from a public link shortener, which hide where the customer will land. Use your own domain.
- Long Arabic text that splits into two or three parts and costs more for every message.
Questions teams ask
Does CST approve every SMS template?
The regulations do not say that CST approves each template itself. They let CST require the operators to run a bulk SMS e-system that receives template registration requests and filters bulk SMS without an approved sender name or approved template. On Digital Connect, your team and Interkey approve every template before it is used. Ask us during onboarding how your templates are handled.
Is template approval the same as sender name registration?
No. The sender name is the name your customers see instead of a number. Interkey registers it with the operators through CST's central bulk-SMS system. A template is the fixed text of a message sent under that name.
Can we change the name, code or date in an approved template?
Yes. Those are variables and change with every message. A change to the fixed text is a new template.
What must an OTP template include?
The reason the code was sent, the code itself, and ideally how long it is valid and a warning not to share it. See our OTP message templates.
Do promotional templates need anything extra?
They go out under a promotional sender name with the "-AD" suffix, only to people who explicitly agreed to receive them, outside the blocked hours: no promotional messages from 10 pm to 9 am, and during Ramadan from 1 am to 12 noon. Each one should end with an opt-out.
How long does approval take?
It depends on the template and on how complete it is when you send it. Plan approval before your launch date, and use the checklist above to avoid a second round.