What is a Sender ID and How to Get One in South Africa

A Sender ID is the name that appears instead of a phone number when recipients receive your SMS. For example: SMSMessenger, YourStore, or DocRemind.

Types of Sender IDs

Alphanumeric — Up to 11 characters, letters and numbers. One-way (no replies). Best for marketing and notifications.

Virtual Long Number (VLN) — A dedicated phone number. Recipients can reply. Best for two-way conversations.

Short Code — 5 digits (e.g. 35360). For competitions and high-volume campaigns.

How to Register

  1. Choose your name — max 11 chars, no spaces
  2. Submit through SMSMessenger
  3. Approval: 2–5 business days
  4. Set as default in your dashboard