In short
- What it is: the name shown as the sender of your SMS. CST defines it as the name through which bulk SMS are sent.
- Why register: bulk messages with an unauthorised sender name are filtered by the operators.
- Promotional names: carry the suffix "-AD".
- Who does the work: you choose the name and provide the documents; Interkey submits and follows up through approval.
- Timeline: no fixed promise; it depends on the entity, the name and the traffic type.
What your customers see
| Sent without a registered name | Sent with your registered name |
|---|---|
| From: a phone number | From: YourBrand |
| Customers cannot tell who sent it, and promotional SMS from a mobile number is not allowed | Customers recognise you, and your messages are not stopped by the operators' filter for unauthorised sender names |
A recognisable sender name matters most for messages customers must trust, such as OTP codes, payment confirmations and delivery updates.
The rules behind sender names
These points come from CST's "Regulations for Curbing SPAM Messages & Calls" (version three, October 2022, approved by CST decision 493/1444):
| Rule | What it means | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A sender name is the name through which bulk SMS are sent. The numbers used for interactive messages are not sender names. | 2.15 |
| Registration | Operators manage sender-name registration requests and approve names only through the Bulk SMS e-System. | 4.3.1, 4.4.2 |
| Filtering | Operators filter bulk messages that carry an unauthorised sender name. | 4.4.3.1 |
| Promotional names | The suffix "-AD" is added to every sender name classified as promotional. | 4.3.10 |
| Who gets a name first | Government entities take precedence; otherwise priority goes to the earliest registration. | 4.3.8, 4.3.9 |
| No mobile numbers | Promotional SMS may not be sent from a mobile phone number. | 4.6.9 |
CST: Regulations for Curbing SPAM Messages and Calls · Saudi SMS compliance guide
Choosing your custom sender ID
- Match the brand customers know. Use the name on your shopfront, app or invoices, not the full legal name if customers never see it.
- Prepare a fallback. If another entity registered the name first, priority usually stays with them, so have a second option ready.
- Think about traffic types. OTP, service and promotional messages are declared separately, and a name classified as promotional carries "-AD".
- Keep it consistent. Use the same name across your OTP, alerts and campaigns where the rules allow, so customers learn to trust it.
What you provide
- Commercial registration details of the entity that will send.
- The sender name you want, plus a fallback.
- A brand-owner authorisation, if the brand and the legal entity differ.
- The traffic types you will send: OTP, service, promotional.
- Sample messages for each traffic type.
- A named, authorised signatory.
The exact list depends on the procedure in force when the request is submitted. Ask us for the current list in writing at the start of onboarding.
How it works with Digital Connect
- Agree the scope. Tell us your sender name, fallback and traffic types. We confirm the documents needed.
- Interkey submits. Interkey holds CST's permit to provide short message services (SMS). We submit the registration and coordinate with the operators.
- Follow-up to approval. We follow the request through to approval and keep you informed.
- Start sending. Your messages go out under your name from the web platform or through the API (REST, SMPP or SOAP), with a delivery receipt for each message.
Renewals and changes, such as a new name, a new traffic type or a change of legal entity, need a new registration. Agree in the contract who is responsible for keeping registrations active.
For the full division of responsibilities between you, the provider and the operators, read Sender ID registration: who does what.
Already sending through another provider?
Tell us the sender name you use today and the traffic types you send. During onboarding we confirm what the registration through Digital Connect needs, so you can plan the move around your OTP and service messages.
After the name is approved
- Per-message delivery receipts show whether each message arrived.
- Approved templates: message templates are approved by your team and by Interkey before use.
- Controls: fraud protection, country blocking and spending limits are set for your account.
- Access: two-factor login with an email verification code; admin and user permission levels; API access limited to whitelisted IP addresses or a VPN connection.
- Price: by quote, on volume and traffic type. OTP and marketing traffic are priced separately.
SMS gateway for businesses · Online SMS platform
Questions about sender names
Can we send SMS with our company name instead of a number?
Yes, once the sender name is registered. Interkey handles the registration for Digital Connect customers during onboarding.
How long does sender-name registration take?
There is no fixed time. It depends on the entity, the name and the traffic type, so we do not promise a timeline.
Do we need a separate name for promotional messages?
Sender names classified as promotional carry the suffix "-AD". Tell us which traffic types you will send, and we will explain how your names should be set up.
Someone else already uses our brand name as a sender name. What now?
Priority generally goes to whoever registered first, with government entities taking precedence. Prepare a fallback name, and a brand-owner authorisation if the name belongs to your brand.
Can we use the same sender name for OTP and alerts?
OTP and service messages are declared as separate traffic types. Tell us what you send, and we will confirm the registration it needs.