You may want to send messages using your own or work-issued mobile number as the sender ID. Using your own number means all messages are sent from a single, consistent number, making it easier for recipients to recognize who the message is from and save the number for future reference. This option works in a similar way to a dedicated number or alphanumeric sender ID provisioned by us. In this article, you’ll learn how to configure, verify, and use your own mobile number as a sender ID.
Important: You'll need access to the mobile device that number belongs to so you can verify you have right of use for that number.
- You'll then need to re-verify the number every 12 months.
- When using a personal mobile number, replies to messages will be sent directly to that handset, and will not appear in the inbox.
- You'll need to manage opt-outs yourself.
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Navigate to Settings > Numbers > Active:
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Scroll to My own numbers and click on Add a mobile number:
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A registration modal will then open where you'll be required to verify your mobile number:
Once your own number is verified, you can select it on an ad-hoc basis when sending a new message by selecting the option from the Sender ID list in the New Message window:
You can also update the default sender ID so that all future messages will be sent from your own number - this article can show you how.
Re-verifying your own number for sending
- Navigate to Settings > Numbers > Active > My own numbers
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Click on the more actions icon (⋮) for the number you wish to re-verify and click on Re-verify:
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A verification code will be sent to the mobile number you selected. Enter that code into the re-verification field and click Re-verify mobile number:
Once your own number is re-verified, you will see the Last Verified date and Status updated to show the number has been successfully re-verified.
FAQs
What if I don't have access to the mobile device that the number is associated with?
If you're not the owner of the mobile that the number is connected to, or you can't get access to it (e.g. a company phone in someone else's possession), then you can't verify the mobile number and you can't use it to send messages from the Sinch MessageMedia platform.
What are the alternatives to using my own mobile number as a sender ID?
Dedicated Number - If you just want to have a consistent, unique number to send from, you can purchase a dedicated number in the Sinch MessageMedia platform. There's a monthly fee to retain each dedicated number on your account, and that number is exclusive to you. That means your recipients can save it on their phones under your business name so they always know it's you messaging them. They can also proactively message you to start a conversation.
Alphanumeric sender ID - If you just need people to be able to identify you as the sender, and you're not worried about receiving replies or starting conversations, then you can use a verified alphanumeric sender ID. Typically this would be your business name, or something that is unique and relevant to your business (e.g. not "Sales" or "Orders") that easily identifies you to your recipients.
Shared number pool - if you just need to send messages that people can reply to, and you aren't bothered about sender recognition, then you can just send using the shared number pool. This is a shared pool of numbers that can be used by anyone in the platform (i.e. they're not unique to your account), and each new message is sent from a different number.
Which countries will allow me to use my own mobile number as a Sender ID?
It's possible for an account in any permitted country to use a mobile number from any other permitted country as well as their own. For example, UK account can use an Australian mobile number, but not one from Iran. Below is a list of countries permitted to use personal mobile numbers as Sender IDs:
- Australia
- Austria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Norway
- Portugal
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- The Netherlands
- United Kingdom