> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.brudcast.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Register an SMS sender ID

> Register the name your texts come from, attach the documents carriers need, and follow its approval country by country.

export const DemoVideo = ({id, title, embedUrl, src, poster, duration}) => {
  if (embedUrl) {
    return <figure className="brd-media" data-media-id={id}>
        <iframe className="brd-media-frame w-full aspect-video" src={embedUrl} title={title} allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture" allowFullScreen />
      </figure>;
  }
  if (src) {
    return <figure className="brd-media" data-media-id={id}>
        <video className="brd-media-frame w-full aspect-video" src={src} poster={poster} controls playsInline preload="metadata" />
      </figure>;
  }
  const label = duration ? `Video walkthrough coming soon · ${duration}` : "Video walkthrough coming soon";
  return <Placeholder id={id} kind="video" label={label} description={title} ratio="16 / 9" icon={<PlayIcon />} />;
};

export const Screenshot = ({id, src, srcDark, alt, caption}) => {
  if (!src) {
    return <Placeholder id={id} kind="screenshot" label="Screenshot coming soon" description={alt} icon={<ImageIcon />} />;
  }
  return <figure className="brd-media" data-media-id={id}>
      <img className="brd-media-frame block dark:hidden" src={src} alt={alt} />
      <img className="brd-media-frame hidden dark:block" src={srcDark || src} alt={alt} />
      {caption && <figcaption className="brd-media-caption">{caption}</figcaption>}
    </figure>;
};

A sender ID is the name recipients see in place of a phone number, such as `BRUDCAST`. By the end of
this page you'll have one submitted, and you'll know how to track its approval in each country.

<Screenshot id="ss-sms-sender-ids-hero-list" alt="The Sender IDs tab with one sender ID marked Approved, Nigeria and Ghana shown green in its Coverage column, and a Default badge" />

<Info>
  **Before you start**, have these ready as PDF, PNG or JPEG files, up to 10 MB each:

  * Your **Operating License** and **Company Registration Document**. You upload these once, for
    every sender ID.
  * An **Authorization Letter** on your letterhead that authorizes this sender ID. Each sender ID
    needs its own.
</Info>

<Accordion title="Watch the walkthrough" icon="circle-play">
  <DemoVideo id="V05" title="Register an SMS sender ID" duration="2 min" />
</Accordion>

<Snippet file="approval-required.mdx" />

## The documents

Carriers register an SMS sender against the business behind it, so they need proof that the business
exists and is allowed to operate. SMS is the only channel that asks for documents.

| Document                          | Belongs to       | Where you upload it                   |
| --------------------------------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| **Operating License**             | The organization | **Channels > SMS**, **Documents** tab |
| **Company Registration Document** | The organization | **Channels > SMS**, **Documents** tab |
| **Authorization Letter**          | One sender ID    | While you register that sender ID     |

Each file must be a PDF, PNG or JPEG of 10 MB or less. Brudcast checks the file's contents, not just
its name, so renaming a file to `.pdf` doesn't get past the check.

| Label            | Value      | What it means                                                                      |
| ---------------- | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Not uploaded** | None       | Nothing on file for this document                                                  |
| **In review**    | `pending`  | Uploaded and waiting for Brudcast                                                  |
| **Accepted**     | `accepted` | Reviewed and accepted. Reused for every sender ID                                  |
| **Rejected**     | `rejected` | The reviewer's reason appears under the file name, and the upload area opens again |

The two business documents are reviewed once and reused for every sender ID. A sender ID can't be
approved in any country while one of its documents is in review or rejected, and the SMS setup step
"Get your business documents accepted" is done once both are **Accepted**. To swap a file that's in
review or accepted, select **Replace** on its row. Download links expire after a few minutes.

## How approval works

An SMS sender ID is approved in two stages. Brudcast reviews your documents. Then Brudcast registers
the sender ID with carriers, and each carrier approves it for the countries it serves.

Your sender ID can send to a country as soon as a carrier there approves it. It can't send anywhere
else yet. A message to a country where it isn't approved isn't sent, and it counts as a bounce.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Upload your business documents">
    Go to **Channels > SMS** and open the **Documents** tab. Drop your **Operating License** and
    **Company Registration Document** into their rows.

    Each shows **In review** until it's **Accepted** or **Rejected**. A rejected document shows the
    reviewer's note, and you can upload a replacement in the same row. You can register a sender ID
    while the documents are still in review.

    <Screenshot id="ss-sms-sender-ids-01-documents" alt="The Documents tab with the Operating License marked Accepted and the Company Registration Document marked In review" />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start a new sender ID">
    Open the **Sender IDs** tab and select **New Sender ID**. The **New SMS Sender** dialog has three
    steps: **Details**, **Documents** and **Review**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the details">
    | Field                               | What to enter                                                                       |
    | ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Label**                           | A name for your own use, such as `Marketing`. It appears in lists and notifications |
    | **Sender ID**                       | What recipients see, such as `BRUDCAST`. Up to 20 characters                        |
    | **Set as default for this channel** | Optional. Campaigns start with the default sender ID                                |

    Select **Continue**.

    <Screenshot id="ss-sms-sender-ids-03-details" alt="The New SMS Sender dialog on the Details step with Label set to Marketing and Sender ID set to BRUDCAST" />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Attach the authorization letter">
    The **Documents** step shows your business documents and their status. Upload the
    **Authorization Letter** for this sender ID, then select **Continue**.

    **Continue** stays disabled until the letter is attached.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and submit">
    Check the summary, then select **Submit for Approval**. The sender ID appears in the list as
    **Pending**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What happens next

1. Brudcast reviews your documents and the sender ID. The status moves to **In review**.
2. Brudcast registers the sender ID with carriers. You get a notification when it's submitted, and
   another each time a carrier decides.
3. When a carrier approves it, the sender ID becomes **Approved** and can send to that carrier's
   countries. Other countries keep their own status and decide separately.

Carrier review usually takes a few days. Brudcast notifies you in the dashboard and by email each
time a decision is made.

## Track coverage

The **Coverage** column shows each country and its status by color. For the full picture, select the
globe icon (**Coverage and documents**) on the sender ID's row. The panel shows:

* A headline such as "Can send to Nigeria, Ghana" or "Not sendable yet, still under review".
* **Markets**: every country the sender ID has been submitted in, its status, and when it was decided.
* The authorization letter attached to this sender ID.

When an approval isn't limited to particular countries, the country is shown as **Everywhere**.

## Statuses

**Sender ID status**

| Status        | Value       | What it means                                                                    |
| ------------- | ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Pending**   | `pending`   | Submitted. Review hasn't started                                                 |
| **In review** | `in_review` | Brudcast has started the review, and no carrier has approved it yet              |
| **Approved**  | `approved`  | At least one carrier approved it. It can send to the countries shown as approved |
| **Rejected**  | `rejected`  | Brudcast rejected it. The reason is shown under the status                       |

If a sender ID loses its last carrier approval, it goes back to **In review**.

**Country status** (in **Markets** and the **Coverage** column)

| Status            | What it means                              |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| **Not submitted** | Not yet sent to a carrier for this country |
| **In review**     | A carrier is deciding                      |
| **Approved**      | The sender ID can send to this country     |
| **Rejected**      | The carrier refused it for this country    |

## Change or remove a sender ID

* **Edit** (pencil icon): change the label or the default. The **Sender ID** itself locks once review
  starts, because carriers approve that exact name. To use a different one, register a new sender ID.
* **Set as default** (star icon): only an approved sender ID can be the default.
* **Delete** (bin icon): removes it for good. Campaigns set to send from it will fail the send
  checks.

## Choosing a sender ID

* Use the brand your recipients already know.
* Use a name your business has the right to use. Your authorization letter has to cover it.
* Choose carefully. You can't change it once review starts.
* If another organization uses the same sender ID, a STOP reply opts the recipient out of both. See
  [Opt-out keywords](/channels/sms/writing-sms-content#opt-out-keywords).

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="A Authorization Letter is required before this sender can be registered" icon="circle-alert">
    **Why:** a required document is missing. The same message names the **Operating License** or
    **Company Registration Document** if one of those is missing or was rejected.

    **Fix:** upload the missing document on the **Documents** tab, or attach the letter on the
    wizard's **Documents** step.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A sms sender identity with this value already exists for this organization" icon="circle-alert">
    **Why:** your organization already has a sender ID with that exact name.

    **Fix:** use the existing sender ID, or choose a different name.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Not sendable yet, still under review" icon="circle-alert">
    **Why:** a carrier is still deciding. This usually takes a few days.

    **Fix:** wait for the notification. Nothing is needed from you.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Not sendable yet, not approved" icon="circle-alert">
    **Why:** the carriers asked so far didn't approve the sender ID.

    **Fix:** open **Coverage and documents** to see which countries refused it, and check for a
    rejected document. Email [support@brudcast.com](mailto:support@brudcast.com) if the reason isn't
    clear.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The sender ID shows Rejected" icon="circle-alert">
    **Why:** Brudcast rejected the sender ID. The reason is shown under the status.

    **Fix:** fix the problem the reason describes, then register a new sender ID.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Countries and number formats" icon="globe" href="/channels/sms/overview#countries-and-number-formats">
    Where Brudcast sends, and how to store numbers.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sender identities" icon="id-card" href="/channels/overview#sender-identities">
    How review works on every channel.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Send your first SMS" icon="send" href="/channels/sms/send-your-first-sms">
    Use your approved sender ID in a campaign.
  </Card>
</Columns>