Sender IDs

A sender ID is the name or number that recipients see as the sender of your SMS message. It appears in the "From" field of the message.

Default Sender ID

When you create a Galatext account, you get the default sender ID GALATEXT for testing purposes.

From: GALATEXT
Message: Your verification code is 482916.

⚠️ The default GALATEXT sender ID is intended for testing. For production use, request a custom sender ID that reflects your brand.

Custom Sender IDs

Custom sender IDs display your brand name and improve message recognition and trust.

From: YOURBRAND
Message: Your verification code is 482916.

Requirements

Requirement	Details
Length	1–11 characters
Characters	Letters A-Z, numbers 0-9 only
Format	No spaces or special characters
Content	Must represent a real business or brand
Uniqueness	Must not impersonate other brands

How to Request

1. Log in to the Galatext Dashboard
2. Navigate to SMS → Sender IDs
3. Click Request New Sender ID
4. Enter your desired sender ID (e.g., YOURBRAND)
5. Provide a brief justification for its use
6. Submit for approval

Approval Process

Step	Description	Timeframe
1	Submit request	Instant
2	Compliance review	1–2 business days
3	Carrier approval	2–5 business days
4	Active	Upon approval

💡 Business verification (KYC documents) may speed up approval. Submit your business registration documents along with the request.

Approval Guidelines

Sender IDs may be rejected if they:

• Contain offensive or prohibited content
• Impersonate government agencies or other entities
• Are too generic (e.g., SERVICE, INFO, ALERT)
• Violate telecom regulations in the target country

Sender ID by Country

Different countries have different sender ID regulations:

Country	Custom Sender ID	Numeric Sender ID	Notes
Kenya	✅ Supported	✅ Supported	Carriers may override with alphanumeric
Nigeria	✅ Supported	❌ Not allowed	Dynamic sender ID available
Uganda	✅ Supported	❌ Not allowed	Registration required
Tanzania	✅ Supported	❌ Not allowed	Brand registration needed
Rwanda	✅ Supported	❌ Not allowed	Standard alphanumeric only
Ghana	✅ Supported	❌ Not allowed	Must be pre-approved

Numeric Sender IDs

Some countries support numeric sender IDs (short codes or long numbers) for two-way messaging:

From: 22005
Message: Reply STOP to unsubscribe.

Numeric sender IDs are particularly useful for:

• Two-way SMS conversations
• Opt-out management
• Service notifications

Requesting a Numeric Sender ID

Numeric sender IDs require additional setup. Contact support with:

• Desired number or short code
• Target countries
• Expected message volume
• Use case description

Managing Sender IDs

View Your Sender IDs

curl -X GET https://api.galatext.com/api/sms/sender-ids \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "success": true,
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "sid_abc123",
      "senderId": "YOURBRAND",
      "status": "ACTIVE",
      "type": "ALPHANUMERIC",
      "countries": ["KE", "NG", "UG"],
      "createdAt": "2025-01-15T10:30:00Z"
    }
  ]
}

Set Default Sender ID

Configure a default sender ID for your account in the dashboard. If no senderId is specified in an API call, the default will be used.

Best Practices

• Use brand names — Customers trust recognizable sender names
• Test first — Verify delivery on target networks before full launch
• Multiple IDs — Use different sender IDs for different message types (OTP vs. marketing)
• Monitor deliverability — Track delivery rates per sender ID
• Regional compliance — Ensure your sender ID complies with local regulations