# Alphanumeric sender IDs · Branded one-way SMS Put your name in the sender field Sender example FIELDNOTES Claim the identity Choose the brand string your customers know. Check the destination Register where the country requires it. Use the right reply path A brand sender cannot receive an SMS reply. Illustrative sender ID. A claimed name and an approved destination are separate checks. ## When a name beats a number. An alphanumeric sender ID is one of the four sender types on [Bird SMS numbers](/sms-api/features/numbers), part of the broader [Bird SMS API](/sms-api). Reach for it when recipients should see your brand rather than a phone number and you don't need them to reply: notifications, OTP, and one-off alerts where the message is the whole conversation. ## What an alphanumeric sender gives you. Brand in the from field, with real constraints. - **01** Your brand, not a number. Recipients see the brand name in the sender field. Use an identity they recognize and keep the message consistent with the relationship they have with you. - **02** One-way only. There's no number behind the name for replies to route to. Recipients cannot reply to an alphanumeric sender ID. Plan for a different channel or a separate number when you need an answer. - **03** Support depends on the country. Some destinations accept alphanumeric senders freely, some restrict them, and some don't allow them at all. The right sender for a route is a per-country decision. - **04** Often needs pre-registration. In many countries the sender string has to be registered before it delivers, and unregistered IDs get rewritten or dropped. Register ahead of the send rather than at send time. - **05** Keep the string short. An alphanumeric sender is a short label, typically up to 11 characters on GSM networks. Pick something close to the brand name recipients already know. ## Set the sender per send. Where the destination permits it, you set the sender string on the send itself: pass your brand in the from field instead of a number. The send shape is the same one you use for every sender type; only the from value changes. **alphanumeric.ts** ```typescript // "from" is your alphanumeric sender, not a number. // Permitted per country; often pre-registered first, and never for the US, // which delivers only from a number you hold. const { data: message, error } = await bird.sms.send({ from: "Bird", to: "+31612345678", text: "Your verification code is 481920.", category: "authentication", }).safe(); if (error) throw error; // text reads back as "**REDACTED**": an authentication body is not retained. console.log(message.status, message.text); // → "accepted" "**REDACTED**" ``` ## Country rules decide what delivers. Whether an alphanumeric sender works, and whether it has to be registered first, is set by each destination country and its carriers. Bird handles [sender ID registration](/sms-api/features/compliance/sender-id-registration) per country so the string you send is the string recipients see. When you need recipients to reply, use a [long code](/sms-api/features/numbers/long-codes), short code, or toll-free number instead. ## Questions about this sender ### What is an alphanumeric sender ID? A short brand string shown in the SMS sender field instead of a phone number. It is an identity you claim and register where required, rather than a reply-capable number. ### Can recipients reply to the brand name? No. Use a number with SMS capability when the workflow needs replies. Prepare the appropriate opt-out mechanism for the campaign and destination. ### Is claiming a sender ID enough to start sending? Only where the destination permits that sender and no required registration remains. Enable the destination and inspect the sender’s country requirements before launch. ## Other ways to send An alphanumeric sender is one of four sender types. Compare the rest. - [Long codes](/sms-api/features/numbers/long-codes): SMS-capable local numbers, with 10DLC registration for US application traffic. - [Short codes](/sms-api/features/numbers/short-codes): Short national numbers for a reviewed, high-volume messaging program. - [Toll-free](/sms-api/features/numbers/toll-free): Verified toll-free numbers for US and Canada traffic without 10DLC. - [All SMS numbers](/sms-api/features/numbers): Compare every sender type: reach, throughput, and registration. - [SMS API overview](/sms-api): The full SMS API: sending, numbers, two-way, compliance, routing, and analytics. ## Scale without losing control. Organize teams in workspaces, control API access, and trace changes through audit logs. Harbor Organization Workspaces Production Sandbox ### Delivery agent API key · Customer operations team Active Permissions Access Email Read & write SMS Read & write WhatsApp Read Read & write AL Alex Lee Admin Permissions updated ### Audit log Production API key updated Alex Lee · 09:42:18 UTC Workspace Production Resource Delivery agent WhatsApp Read Read & write Succeeded [Workspaces](/docs/guides/workspaces)[Team roles](/docs/guides/users-teams-roles)[API authentication](/docs/guides/authentication) [Explore Enterprise](/enterprise) ## Start with SMS. Build across channels with Bird. [Get started](/dashboard/signup?returnTo=%2Fdashboard%2Fw%2Fsms%2Fonboarding) · [Contact Sales](/demo?product=sms) [Email](/email-api) · [SMS](/sms-api) · [WhatsApp](/whatsapp-api) · [Apple Messages](/apple-messages-api) · [Voice](/voice-api) ## Related resources - [Registering your SMS sender ID](/learn/sms/registering-your-sms-sender-id) (video) - [SMS sender IDs](/docs/guides/sms/senders) (docs) - [What is sender ID registration, and why do some countries require it?](/explained/sms/what-is-sender-id-registration) (answer) - [Build your first integration](/learn/paths/integration) (course) [Get an implementation brief](/learn/workspace?topic=sms-senders)