Custom alias sender: how to request it with MailUp

The custom sender is a feature that allows you to send personalized SMS campaigns, replacing the sender's phone number with a custom name (such as your company name).

According to the current regulations of the Italian Communications Authority (AGCOM), all custom senders (Alias), to be used to Italian recipients, must be requested and approved by AGCOM.

MailUp offers its customers the opportunity to request approval for the use of a new custom sender via the platform, in the section Settings > Account settings > Admin contacts > SMS senders.

Page contents:

How to request the approval of a new alias with MailUp

To request the approval of a new sender, select Settings > Account settings > Admin contacts > SMS senders.

On this page you can ask for approval to use a custom SMS sender: validation is only required if sending to Italian recipients (with international prefix 0039).

The new sender, together with the data of the company responsible for the SMS campaigns, must be sent, approved, and registered with AGCOM (Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni). Once the form has been completed, MailUp will undertake to send the request to AGCOM, after having carried out some preliminary checks.

Here is the information you need to enter to submit the approval request for a new custom sender:

Custom text sender for which you want to request approval.
The name must be up to 11 characters long and without spaces. For more information on allowed characters, read the Frequently Asked Questions.
MailUp platform buyer data.
Fill out the form by entering the data entered when purchasing the platform, the data we already have are entered automatically and cannot be changed.
A document certifying the legitimacy to use a name/brand other than the one of the platform buyer.
Anyone who in point 1 has entered a sender name different from their own brand and/or that cannot be traced back to it, is obliged - according to the current AGCOM rules - to demonstrate that they have the right to use the brand of another subject.

Once all the information has been entered, select the "Send Request" button. If the request passes the preliminary checks, it will be sent to AGCOM for final approval.

Request status

	Description	What to do
Phase 1	The request has been received. We are carrying out the preliminary checks, before forwarding it to AGCOM.	Wait for the status update. If any data is incorrect, the status will become "Not approved" with an indication of what needs to be fixed. If the checks are successful, the request will be forwarded to AGCOM.
Phase 1	The request has been received but is temporarily pending as the requested sender does not match with the company name.	We are working on updating the platform. Wait until further notice.
Phase 2	The new sender's request did not pass the preliminary checks. The reasons for refusal can be the following:
	Incorrect Sender name (company name does not coincide with that of the customer on the platform)	Check and modify the data entered in the registry. They must match those of the platform buyer.
	PEC address incorrect	The PEC address entered in the registry is not registered. We ask you to change it or try another PEC address. Save changes to re-apply for approval.
	A generic name or not corresponding to the company name	The sender you are requesting does not match your company name or is not linked to it.
	Name too generic and unsuitable for the identification, by the recipient, of the person responsible for the content of the communication or the good or service offered by him	The sender you are requesting does not match your company name or is not attributable to it.
	Incorrect VAT number	The VAT number entered in the Sender's name is not correct. Replace this data in the "associated Sender name" section. Save changes to re-apply for approval.
	The new sender's request has passed the preliminary checks and has been forwarded to AGCOM for final approval.	Wait for the outcome from AGCOM.
Phase 3	The sender has been approved.	You can start sending SMS campaigns with your new custom sender.
	The request of the new sender was rejected by AGCOM. The reasons may be the following:
	"Campo cliente_codicefiscale non corretto" Incorrect tax_code	The tax code entered in the sender's name is not correct. Replace this data in the "associated sender name" section. Save changes to re-apply for approval.
	"Campo cliente_partitaiva non corretto" Incorrect VAT_number	The VAT number entered in the Sender's name is not correct. Replace this data in the "associated Sender name" section. Save changes to re-apply for approval.
	"Campo cliente_pec non corretto" PEC_address incorrect	The PEC address entered in the registry is not registered. We ask you to change it or try another PEC address. Save changes to re-apply for approval.
	"La registrazione di nuovi alias e' temporaneamente sospesa" Registration of new aliases is temporarily suspended	AGCOM has temporarily suspended the approval of new senders. Wait for the service to be re-established.
	"Nessuna nota" No info	AGCOM provided no explanation for the refusal. Try re-entering the request.
	You have requested to delete this sender. We are processing the request.	Do nothing. Once the deletion is complete, the sender will be removed from the list.

If the sender fails to register or the sender is awaiting approval, the SMS message will be sent regularly but the sender will be replaced with a random numeric sender.

AGCOM regulation and code of conduct

AGCOM (Autorità Garante delle Comunicazioni) Resolution No. 42/13/CIR of AGCOM (Communications Authority), updated and amended by subsequent resolutions no. 50/14/CIR, no. 131/14/CIR, 166/15/CIR, 18/17/CIR, and 306/20/CIR establishes binding rules for testing Aliases which are 11-character text senders that you can use as the sender of your SMS messages to Italy.

The spirit of the rules is to allow subscribers of mobile communication services to track the actual sender of SMS through a simple call to the customer service of your service provider.

Each Customer who wishes to use a text Alias as the sender of the SMS message must first communicate to AGCOM his data and contacts, through the form available on the MailUp platform.

The Resolution also establishes that Aliases can only be used by subjects in possession of a VAT number and Tax Code.

For more information, consult the official AGCOM website: www.agcom.it/alias.

Code of Conduct relating to the provision of corporate messaging services containing alphanumeric codes (Alias) as senders ("Code")

Read

Premise

This Code of Conduct is drawn up pursuant to art. 5 paragraph 4 of the Authority for Communications (AGCom) resolution 42/13 / CIR “Rules for the testing of alphanumeric indicators for the identification of the calling party in SMS / MMS used for corporate messaging services” (” Resolution “) and proposes to regulate the establishment, assignment and use of the Alias in the field of corporate messaging services and to define the rules to protect the users of the aforesaid services.

Messaging services

The messaging services are the services provided by an authorized supplier pursuant to the Resolution in favor of a Customer / Company, natural or legal person, who intends to reach its Final Customers through SMS or MMS messages by communicating their offers of products or services, or service information and, depending on the case, requesting the same Final Customers response to the communication sent. Messaging services that send a message to end customers are commonly referred to as “MT” (“Mobile Terminated”) messaging services while messaging services that provide a response from end-users, messaging services of type “MO” (“Mobile Originated”). MT services can be provided through the use of Alias as an alternative to using the CLI. This code will only deal with corporate messaging services through the use of Aliases.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Code, consistent with the aforementioned resolution, the following are defined:

a) Customer / Company: the natural or legal person who uses or requests to use a corporate messaging service, by signing an offer of a company messaging service provider;

b) Final Customer: the natural or legal person who uses or requests to use an electronic communication service accessible to the public for purposes not related to their working, commercial or professional activity;

c) Corporate Messaging: communications of the SMS / MMS type, in single or mass modality, towards Final Customers by a Customer / Company, such as Companies or Organizations, for social, informative, and advertising purposes;

d) Supplier of the company messaging service: legal entity authorized pursuant to art. 25 of the CCE which provides, on the basis of specific contracts with Customers / Company, the corporate messaging service through the use of the Aliases to the Final Customers (see Article 4 paragraph 1);

e) Access service provider: authorized legal entity pursuant to art. 25 of the CCE which provides mobile services, including the messaging service, to the Final Customer;

f) CLI – Calling line identification: identification of the call line by the number defined by the UIT-T Recommendation E.164 and nationally by the National Numbering Plan (Del. 52/12 / CIR and s.m.i.) associated to the same line;

g) Alias: a string of alphanumeric characters transmitted in the field provided for sending the sender / CLI in SMS / MMS communications no longer than 11 characters as indicated in Annex A of this Code;

Inspiring principles of the Code

The Code aims to guarantee the correct development of corporate messaging services by ensuring the rights of the Clients / Company on one side and of the Final Customers on the other side and proper competition among the players in the sector.

In this context, the players in the sector intend to adopt common rules of conduct with the aim of increasing the market through the respect of the rights of the end customers who receive the messages. In this regard, the players in the sector will adopt their best experience and diligence to ensure the correct use by the Customers / Company of the Aliases.

Constitution of the Aliases

Aliases consist of a set of alphanumeric strings no longer than 11 characters, the details of which are indicated in Annex A of this code.

Assignment of the Aliases

The assignment of the Alias takes place on the basis of the current trademark regulations.
The Company’s messaging service provider will use its utmost diligence in order to avoid that non-rights holder of a given Alias may use Alias, whose legitimate use is due to third parties under the trademark law. To this end, in the first place, the company messaging service providers will adopt authentication procedures of the Customer / Company through credentials in order to ensure that the Customer / Company that has subscribed to a range of corporate messaging services is actually the subject that accesses to the system for sending messages and using Aliases.

Furthermore, the providers of corporate messaging services will do their best to include in the contracts with Customers / Company-specific clauses in which they will assume to the Customers / Company the responsibility for the use of only Aliases that they have legitimately and to that end. end they can make the Customer / Company also sign a specific self-declaration. Customers/companies who prove to have used Alias illegitimately will be prevented from using the related Aliases.

Assigning generic Aliases

The resolution provides for the prohibition of using Alias already used for other Customers / Companies and which do not significantly differ from Alias already used. In this context, the assignment of generic Aliases is allowed provided that the Customers / Company undertake contracts with the company messaging service providers to insert in the text of the message a reference to their company name or to their own brand legitimately used in order to, however, be recognizable for the Final Customer.

Assignment of Aliases that attract public bodies and institutions

Aliases that refer to public bodies and institutions are reserved exclusively for the same bodies or institutions and can not be associated with other subjects.

Uploading Aliases to the database managed by the AGCom

Before sending a message with Alias, the messaging service providers will take care to load on the database managed by the AGCom (also for short “Alias System”) the Alias used by the Customers / Company.

The following information will be inserted indicatively in the database:

– Alias and associated E.164 numbering;
– Name Customer / company, VAT number / tax code;
– Customer/company contacts: only contact data between phone number, fax number, e-mail address;
– Cessation of the use of Alias when it is no longer in use;

The name of the company messaging service provider and the date and time of records are automatically detected by the Alias System.

The actual specific information to be associated with each Alias can be updated following any changes to the technical-operational modalities of the Alias System.

Use of Aliases by Customers / Company

The use of Aliases is allowed to Customers / Companies who have subscribed to a range of corporate messaging services with the company messaging service providers who have obtained one or more E.164 PNN numbers to be associated with the Aliases, in the respect of the art. 3, paragraph 2 of the Resolution.

Multiple providers of different business messaging services can subscribe to a business messaging service offer with the same Customer / Company.

A unique numbering must be associated with each Customer / Company. This numbering may be associated with multiple Aliases as long as they are used by the same Customer / Company.

Termination of use of the Alias by Customers / Company

A specific Alias will remain active as long as the contract between the Supplier of corporate messaging services and Customer / Company is in force, except in the event that, under the contract, the Customer / Company itself informs the Supplier that it no longer wishes to use a certain Alias.

Within 24 hours after the termination of the contract between the Company’s messaging service provider and Customer Company or the receipt by the Supplier of corporate messaging services of the communication of no longer want to use a specific alias, the Supplier will communicate the cessation of use of Alias to the Alias System.

Protection of Final Customers

The Final Customer who receives an SMS / MMS message having as sender an Alias deemed unexpected, deceptive or spam, can contact the Customer Care of their mobile operator reporting the case and communicating to the operator the following necessary information to make the due controls:

a) numbering of the final customer;
b) Alias that appears in the sender of the message;
c) day, date, and time of receipt;

Customer Care, through the query of the database managed by AGCom, receives the following information concerning the Customer / Company who sent the message and communicates it to the Final Customer:

– Customer / Company name;
– Alias used;
– Customer / Company contacts;

In the event that the competent authorities request the tracking data of the message sent, the Company’s messaging service provider will deliver such data as soon as possible in order to ensure the purposes of justice.

Successive versions of the Code

The Supplier of the company’s messaging service reserves the right to prepare new and more evolved versions of this Code in the future in order to better meet the business needs of the players in the sector and to better protect the rights of end customers, in step with the evolution of the business messaging services containing Alias and related discipline, currently still in the experimental phase.

www.agcom.it

AGCom Regulation 42/13/CIR

Frequently asked questions

What are the rules an Alias sender is considered legitimate?

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It has to be clear who is the sender of the communication. It must be distinctive, not detrimental to the rights of others, and not misleading for the recipient. The sender can't start with a number. For example, are illegal:

simple names of the person ("Mary")
names and last names not related to the business name of the company and which do not denote the profession (e.g. instead of "JohnRossi" use "Lawyer Rossi ")
generic names or common used (eg. "event", "Mum", "Attorney", "comedian", "dry cleaners", " legal, "State school" etc.)
simple words like Greetings

I do not have a VAT number and/or Tax Code, can I request a textual Sender?

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According to the current AGCOM rules, text senders can only be used for "non-consumer" subjects - that is, those who have a VAT number and / or a numerical tax code (eg entities, associations and non-profit organizations). If you are a "consumer" customer registered with your social security number, you cannot request and use an alphanumeric sender, but you can continue to send SMS messages with a numerical sender (for example your mobile number).

Can I register my Custom Senders directly with AGCOM?

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No, in order to access the AGCOM registers you must be authorized operators registered in the Register of Communication Operators (ROC).

Can a company register multiple aliases?

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Yes, but it must be justified. For example, if the Barilla company has the MulinoBianco brand, you can register both the Barilla alias and the MulinoBianco alias. According to the resolution, in fact, the Alia is constituted in such a way as to facilitate as much as possible the identification by the recipient of the person responsible for the content of the communication or the good / service offered, at the same time, the possibility of inducing false identifications. It must be distinctive of the user, not detrimental to the rights of others, and not misleading for the recipient.

I am a reseller/agency, can I request a custom sender?

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Yes, through the MailUp platform you can request the approval of a text sender other than your brand. All requests must be made by the buyer of the platform and must include an official document certifying the legitimacy of using a brand other than their own.

How long does it take to approve a new custom sender?

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The process of authorizing an alphanumeric sender requires several steps and verifications. Once the request has been filled in, it is subjected to a first check by MailUp. At this stage, the request may be rejected with an indication to change the incorrect and/or missing information. Once the preliminary checks have been passed, the request will be forwarded to AGCOM. This last phase does not depend on MailUp and could take a few days.

Which characters are allowed for the creation of a custom sender?

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Since some Italian operators do not yet support all the characters provided by AGCOM, some limitations have been inserted in the platform that restricts the range of usable characters.

Allowed characters:

The text sender must be up to 11 characters long and the first cannot be a number.

The textual sender must consist of upper and lower case letters of the international alphabet:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYWZ (HEX codes 41 to 5A respectively),
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvxywz (HEX codes 61 to 6A respectively).

Digits 0 to 9: 0123456789 (HEX codes 30 to 39 respectively).

The use of spaces is not allowed.