The entity sending text messages to citizens can protect its own SMS Sender ID and make sure that no other entity can use the same alphanumeric sender identifier when sending text messages to Finnish subscription numbers. Registration of SMS Sender IDs can be requested from Traficom.
Before applying for SMS Sender ID registration, the user must find out if the planned ID is in a format that Traficom can accept for registration. In order for the SMS Sender ID to be protected and its unequivocal access right to be granted, the SMS Sender ID applicant requests to be protected, must be exactly the same as the applicant's
- business name,
- auxiliary business name or
- parallel business name
iin the Finnish Business and Community Information System (YTJ).
The ID to be protected must also meet the format requirements of the standard. The SMS Sender ID is in maximum 11 characters long. Concerning special characters, including scandic letters å, ä or ö, the requesting organisation should check with their service provider to see if the SMS Sender ID works as intended in the planned use case.
In some cases, the protocol of the application interface of the Short Message Service Centre supports a character set that is narrower than the standard also in Finland, and the internationally compatible character set is even narrower. When used internationally, SMS Sender ID should contain only the following characters: 0–9, a–z, A–Z and space. It should also be noted that an SMS Sender ID cannot begin or end with a space or contain multiple consecutive spaces.
When the company name, auxiliary company name or parallel company name includes one or more spaces or a hyphen, those can be omitted when registering an SMS Sender ID. In addition, in the SMS Sender ID to be protected 'a' may replace the character 'å' or 'ä', and 'o' may replace the character 'ö' if these characters appear in the company name, auxiliary company name or parallel company name on which the application is based. Since company names are unique even without indications of corporate form, Traficom can register a company name and a parallel company name for use as an SMS Sender ID without the indication of corporate form as well.
Applicants can register the SMS Sender ID using lowercase and/or uppercase letters. For example, if the applicant's auxiliary company name is OmaYritys, it can apply for protection for such names as OmaYritys, omayritys, Omayritys, etc. It is intended that registration is applied for only one form of writing. A dedicated technical short message service number beginning with 19 is attached to the registered SMS Sender ID.
Applicant must also note that after the transition period following registration, messages with the registered SMS Sender ID can no longer be sent to recipients from abroad via the common international interfaces as traffic sent this way is blocked.Traffic with registered SMS Sender ID must be routed instead via the application interfaces provided by Finnish telecommunications companies.
The SMS Sender ID registration process is based on Traficom's Regulation 28 on the interoperability of communication networks and services, and Traficom also offers a separate instruction regarding the protection of SMS sender information.
Registering an SMS Sender ID
A person authorized by a company can apply for the registration of a SMS Sender ID by filling out the application form found on Traficom's website.
The application must include the following information:
- Name of the company or organisation
- Business ID
- Agency’s ALV number
- Post and invoicing addresses
- Contact person's name and email
- SMS Sender ID or SMS Sender ID's for which registration is requested
Traficom charges 200 euros for the registered SMS Sender ID an annual fee as set by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.