A booking reminder can use a claimed sender name. The name can help recipients recognize the sender. It does not give them a number to answer.
How much text fits in the sender name?
Bird accepts an alphanumeric sender string of 3 to 11 characters. The 11-character upper bound follows the 3GPP sender-address field. Bird's claim floor is a separate rule.
Choose a short recognizable name before claiming it. Acme Travel uses all 11 available characters, including the space. A longer business name needs an abbreviation that fits.
The SMS address field has limited room for an alphanumeric address. 3GPP specification 23.040, clauses 9.1.2.4 and 9.1.2.5, defines that field.
Bird's sender field accepts letters, digits, spaces, dashes and underscores. Include at least one letter. Do not put a separator at either end, because those strings fail the claim's validation.
The create-sender command documents the accepted format. These limits describe the sender identity, not the message body's segment allowance.
Can someone reply to the name?
An alphanumeric sender cannot receive an SMS reply.
The displayed name does not identify a reply-capable phone number. Bird's sender record has no underlying number_id for that identity.
Use a number when a customer needs to confirm, ask a question or reply with a keyword. One-way and two-way SMS explains that choice.
An opt-out instruction must provide a route the recipient can actually use. Do not ask someone to reply STOP to a name that cannot receive texts. Check the destination's alternative opt-out rules on its SMS destination guidance before sending.
How do I claim the name in Bird?
You create an alphanumeric sender in your workspace before using it on a free-text send.
Set type to alpha and sender to the chosen string. Creating this record does not create a phone number or register the sender in every country.
The claim itself does not carry a registration charge. Country registration can carry separate fees. Check the published sender and registration fees before starting a paid registration.
The sender guide separates adding the name from preparing it for a destination.
Where can I use the sender?
The destination must support the sender type. Your sender must also satisfy its applicable registration requirements.
bird sms senders requirements <sender-id> --country-code NLUse the returned sender identifier for the requirements read. Replace NL with the destination's country code. The command reference documents the response.
Check status for registration and destination_enabled for the separate workspace setting. An approved registration does not turn on a disabled destination.
SMS destinations publishes the country-specific sender options. A name permitted in one market does not automatically work in another.
What should I choose before sending?
Choose a name only when the workflow can work without SMS replies and the destination permits it.
- Use a reply-capable number when recipients need to answer by text.
- For a send-only identity, choose a recognizable name within Bird's character limits.
- Complete the destination's registration and enable that country for the workspace.
- Provide the required opt-out route before releasing messages.
In short
A name is a send-only identity.
Use a reply-capable number when the workflow needs incoming texts.
Bird accepts 3 to 11 characters.
The claimed string needs at least one letter and cannot start or end with a separator.
Claiming and country registration are separate.
Adding the name to your workspace does not establish that every destination permits it.
Check registration and destination settings together.
An approved sender still needs its destination enabled for the workspace.