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MessageBird
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Sender ID Registration

Sender ID Registration is now required for all Sender IDs (ALPHA, ALPHANUMERIC, and NUMERIC-Only SIDs) for A2P SMS traffic to Singapore. 

Singapore’s communication regulatory body Infocomm Media Development Authority (“IMDA”) released their decision to implement a mandatory SMS Sender ID Registry Regime (the “SSIR”), which will be fully enforced as of January 31, 2023. 

 

From that date until July 31, 2023, unregistered Sender IDs will be overwritten with “likely-SCAM” as a default during this period.  

After July 31, 2023, all unregistered Sender IDs will ultimately be blocked and no longer delivered.

MessageBird, as one of the few registered service providers with the SSIR, is happy to inform you of the process and help you stay compliant.

 

What You Need To do

You should now be reserving and registering all Sender IDs through the SSIR Portal starting from February 1, 2023.

Here are the rules for SID Registration through the SSIR Portal:

  • Registration of Sender IDs is on a first-come-first-served basis.
  • No sharing of Sender IDs is allowed between user organisations.
  • Sender IDs cannot be transferred between user organisations, unless approved by SGNIC.
  • If a user organisation is seeking to register a Sender ID that is not linked to its company name or business, it may be requested to provide supporting documents to justify its choice of Sender ID.
  • Alphanumeric SIDs:
    • have a minimum of 3 characters and a maximum of 11 characters;
    • not contain non-Latin characters;
    • be in any combination of upper/lower casing;
    • not be generic in nature (for e.g. “OTP”, “SMS”, etc);
    • not be sensitive in nature;
    • not contain leading or trailing spaces;
  • Numeric SIDs: 
    • Can either be a Singapore Short code (5-digit number in the series 7xxxx) or a Long code (8-digit LVNs from the 8 and 9 series) that is unique to the organisation
    • The user organisation will need to submit supporting document(s) to the SSIR, showing that the number was issued by a Singapore Mobile Network Operator (MNO) to the SMS aggregator that the user organisation is working with. MessageBird provides you an invoice as proof that the number is exclusively assigned to your organisation.
  • Fees & Billing of SSIR
    • There will be a one-time setup fee of S$500 for each registered organisation, and an annual charge of S$200 for each registered Sender ID. Prices are listed before prevailing Goods & Services Tax.
    • Reservation of Sender IDs for the Full SSIR Regime will be at no cost from 31 October 2022 to 30 January 2023. SSIR will commence billing organisations for their setup fee and Sender IDs from 1 February 2023 onwards.


You will then need to provide the following additional documentation to MessageBird for any sender ID that you have registered in the SSIR portal no later than January 27, 2023:

  • Fill in a complete Restricted Country Access Form to Singapore via MessageBird's dashboard. Please ensure you have a valid Unique Entity Number (UEN) issued by the relevant Singapore government agency with a pdf export of your ACRA business registration. Foreign companies can receive one by registering at the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (“ACRA”).
  • Submit a complete Use Case Form for each Sender ID used with MessageBird via the dashboard's Registered Originator page. 
  • Submit an Email confirmation from the SSIR that your Sender ID is registered on the SSIR
  • For 3rd Party Representatives, please submit a Letter of Authorization from the organisation allowing you to carry their SMS traffic with their fully registered SIDs. Template of the Letter of Authorisation can be downloaded from here.

If you would like to know more about Singapore’s Sender ID Regime and how to register through their portal, please visit Singapore Network Information Centre.

If you have any other questions, please contact Customer Support.

 

Frequently Asked Questions - Sender ID Registration

 

What kind of Originators are impacted?

  • Although originally only AlphaNumeric Originators were required to register, since the updated decision from 21st Dec 2022, all Sender IDs, including numeric ones, are to be registered.

How to Register & What Document(s) to upload/provide?

  • Make sure to have a valid Unique Entity Number (UEN) issued by the relevant Singapore government agency with a copy of the official documentation granting the UEN as supporting documentation. UEN (Unique Entity Number) is a company ID available to all Singapore-based entities. Foreign companies can obtain one by registering at the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (“ACRA”). 
  • Once a UEN is confirmed, the customer can register their Originator(s) of choice via the Singapore SMS Sender ID Registry - see SSIR page.
  • Next, fill in a complete Restricted Country Access Form to Singapore via MessageBird's dashboard. Please, provide your valid UEN and upload a pdf export of your ACRA Business Profile.

  • After obtaining SSIR confirmation that your Originator(s) are registered, submit a complete Use Case Form for each Singapore Sender ID used with MessageBird via the dashboard's Registered Originator page. Please ensure you have Documentation showing that each Sender ID you wish to use for SSIR traffic is fully registered with the SSIR.

  • For 3rd Party Representatives (Non-licensees/Non-PAs), you need to submit a Letter of Authorisation in the Registered Originator page duly signed by the Organisation who have registered their Sender IDs in the SSIR in order for you to carry the SMS traffic on their behalf.

Can I delegate MessageBird to perform registration in my name?

No. All registration must be requested by the registering company directly.

Can I register the Originator on my customer's behalf?

No. Registration must be linked to the UEN of the brand company sending traffic. In the case of a software or solution provider, the final customer must register. 

How can I require access to send SMS to Singapore?

All customers wanting to send SMS to Singapore must upload a copy of their UEN using the request access option specific to Singapore (see this guide for more details). 

I have previously obtained access to the Restricted Countries. Does it mean I already have access to  Singapore?

Only customers providing a copy of their UEN and filling in the discovery questionnaire will be granted access to Restricted Countries. Please note that customers who have got access to Restricted Countries, but have yet to provide proof of UEN, will obtain access to all countries, but Singapore.

Does Singapore's approval extend to the other Restricted Countries?

Not at the moment.

How to manage registered Originators?

Registered Originator requests can be submitted via the Registered Originator Dashboard. Other actions, such as a status check and deletion of old/expired registrations, can be performed on the same page.

How much does it cost?

MessageBird does not charge for registration, however, charges are levied by the relevant Singapore authority both for providing a UEN and for registering on the SSIR. 

How long can a registration take?

Starting Feb 2023, MessageBird aims to review all country access requests in 2 working days and all SID registration in 72 hours. The two can be requested at the same time.  The delay may be longer in January. Please note such estimations do not consider any delay incurred in obtaining a UEN or an SSIR registration from the relevant Singaporean authorities.

Is there a grace period?

Unregistered originators or traffic of a company without a UEN will not be blocked until 30 June 2023. A grace period is offered to start on Feb 2023 until the blocking date. Please do note that all unregistered traffic will be modified to display to final receiver as if sent from the "Likely-SCAM" originator. 

How will 2-way traffic be impacted?

2-way traffic will be heavily affected during the grace period. The originator modification to "Likely-SCAM" - as part of s for regulatory-mandated conditions during the grace period - will be made so the final user will not be able to answer you as part of the same conversation thread. However, if any of your Singaporean users should know your number and send a message directly to it, those will be received. 

If you have any other questions, please contact Customer Support.

 

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