What are the types of SMS and SMS Header (or Sender ID)?

This document explains different type of Headers with examples.

PROMOTIONAL Headers that can be used for sending Promotional messages fall under PROMOTIONAL type. Promotional message means commercial communication that can be sent to a mobile subscriber whose preferences are not set (not on DND). Or, any commercial communication that an enterprise can send to an intended recipient after taking consent to send such messages.

Header (6 numeric): 565690, 787878, 987123, 555555, etc.

Promotional Headers should start with the number that matches with the category (as per DND Preferences).

1. Banking/Insurance/Financial products/ credit cards.
Ex: 123890, 154987

2. Real Estate
Ex: 234567, 264789

3. Education
Ex: 397134, 321456

4. Health
Ex: 467931, 444654

5. Consumer goods and automobiles
Ex: 582974, 564123

6. Communication/Broadcasting / Entertainment/IT
Ex: 631469, 693147

7. Tourism and Leisure
Ex: 789456, 714369

8. Food and Beverages
Ex: 896321, 816934

0 (Zero) Others – Category that doesn’t appear in 1-8
Ex: 012389, 098654

OTHER
Headers that can be used for sending Transactional, Service Implicit and Service Explicit message fall under OTHER type. Same Header can be used against all three type of messages. All These Headers are Case Sensitive.

Header (6-alpha): TRUBLQ, TRUblq, TRubLQ, trublq, KLMNOP, DLTdlt, etc.
Transactional: Message which contains One Time Password (OTP) and requires to complete a banking transaction initiated by the bank customer. This is applicable to all banks including national/ scheduled/ private/ Govt. and MNC banks.

Ex: TRHDFC, DCBmsg, MkotaK

Service Implicit: Messages arising out of customer’s actions or his relationship with the Sender, that is not promotional, and is not in the interest of the customer to block such communications. These messages may or may not be triggered by a subscriber-initiated transaction and will not be blocked for subscribers who have otherwise blocked service messages also.

  • Confirmation messages of a net banking or a credit/debit transaction.
  • Product purchase confirmation.
  • Delivery status of a parcel.
  • OTP required for e-commerce website, app login, social media apps, KYC, etc.
  • Messages from schools regarding attendance/transport.
  • Messages from hospitals/clinics regarding appointment/discharge reports.
  • Govt./TRAI/DoT mandated messages, advisories, messages from state Govt., LEAs, local authorities, traffic advisories, election commission, Disaster management advisories.
  • Service messages from car workshops, gadget service centres.
  • Day-end/ month-end settlement alerts to securities/demat account holders.
    Ex: ABCDE, AFioma, uniFco.

Service Explicit: Any service message which doesn’t fall under the category of service message (Implicit) will be sent only against service explicit, digitally verified/verifiable consent that has been taken from the subscriber by the respective enterprise.

Ex: NUTUKI, PRizem, semRTA

OTHER – Govt.

Only Govt. entities can register these Headers that can be used for sending Transactional, Service Implicit and Service Explicit messages.

Header (3 to 9 numeric and should start with 1): 1444, 19898, 15555, 19090909, etc.

Headers:
carry out additional checks for look-alike headers which may mislead to a common recipient of commercial communication, it may also include proximity checks, similarity after substring swaps specifically in case of government entities, corporate(s), well-known brands while assigning headers irrespective of current assignments of such headers, and to follow specific directions, orders or instructions, if any, issued from time to time by the Authority.

Various problem areas which are related to effectiveness and efficiency of the current regulatory framework have either been observed or came into notice are:
i. The existing system takes about 24 hours to register preferences and requires up to seven days to enforce the revised preferences,
ii. Usually time required to resolve UCC complaints and take action against defaulter is more than seven days. This long-time window is exploited by the unregistered telemarketers to send UCC,
iii. Despite measures taken by the TSPs to control UCC from Unregistered Telemarketers (UTMs) and provisions in the regulations for the disconnection of telecom resources, UCC from Unregistered Telemarketers is still continuing,
iv. Due to false complaints or fake identities against which connections are taken, the telecom resources of person who might not have indulged in sending UCC are sometimes disconnected.
v. Intuitive and Intelligent Mobile App for registering preferences and making complaints is required for most Operating Systems and Platforms in the mobile device market, which would enable device users to make complaints against the sender of UCC in a convenient and user
friendly manner,
vi. The existing system takes a long time to make preferences made by the customer effective,
vii. Cases, where the request (consent) is taken by organizations or individuals to send transactional messages, are unverifiable and accessible, as well as, customers don’t have the choice to revoke such consent,
viii. Transactional Message headers are abused to send promotional messages,
ix. Cases of non-traceability of Senders of UCC, and intermediaries,
x. Cases brought to notice by SEBI and RBI about UCC messages related to financial, trade and security market (by unauthorized entities)
xi. New ways used by telemarketers to make UCC, such as robocalls and silent calls which may be of concern to the customer.

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