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The short answer: in Mozambique, communications are regulated by INCM, the Instituto Nacional das Comunicações de Moçambique (National Communications Institute of Mozambique), and SMS messages reach phones through the mobile operators Vodacom, Movitel and Tmcel. For your messages to arrive with your company name, you need a registered Sender ID: we request the registration for you with the relevant authority and the operators, and all you do is choose the name and send us the documents. While you wait, you can start sending right away with the free NETMSG sender.
Who regulates and who delivers the messages
INCM is the body that regulates communications in Mozambique, including the mobile networks that carry SMS. The operators, Vodacom, Movitel and Tmcel (formerly mCel), deliver the messages to their customers' phones. An SMS reaches any mobile phone, even without internet access or apps.
A custom sender name only appears once it has been registered. That registration is what we handle for you, using your company's documents. To learn what it is and when it is worth having, see what a Sender ID is.
Documents for a Sender ID in Mozambique
We ask for three documents from the organisation that will send the messages:
| Document | What it must include |
| Request letter | Signed and stamped by the organisation. We give you a template letter with the request already worded. |
| Copy of the representative's ID (BI) | Front and back, clearly readable. |
| Business licence (alvará) or Boletim da República (BR) | The document that shows the organisation exists. |
On the request form you also fill in four details:
| Detail | What to enter |
| Organisation | The name of the company or organisation, exactly as it appears on the documents. |
| NUIT | The organisation's tax number, 9 digits long. |
| Purpose | What you will use the name for: customer notices, reminders, campaigns. |
| Sample message | A real message that includes the company name. |
Requesting a Sender ID, step by step
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If the name is not accepted, the request moves to “Change the name” and you can pick another one without paying again. If the request is rejected for good, the amount you paid goes back as credit to your account. For details, see Sender ID rejected and how to request a Sender ID.
| Our reply comes within 48 business hours; we give no time frame for final approval. It depends on the operators and the relevant authority. You will receive each reply by e-mail. While you wait, you can send with the free NETMSG sender: see when NETMSG is enough. |
Marketing or service messages: what changes
Not every SMS is the same. A verification code the customer has just asked for is not the same as a promotion. These are the good practices we follow and recommend:
| Type of SMS | Examples | Good practice |
| Service | Verification codes (OTP), order notices, payment reminders, invoices. | Only to customers who have given you their number. A code the customer requested can go out at any time. |
| Marketing | Promotions, news, invitations, campaigns. | Only to people who agreed to receive them, with an opt-out written in the message. On working days and during business hours, never at night. |
These are good practices, not the wording of a law. They protect your brand and prevent complaints from recipients. Because named senders, NETMSG included, cannot receive replies, include contact details in the message (phone, e-mail or website) for anyone who wants to opt out. More in SMS good practices and consent.
Technical details in Mozambique
| Detail | Mozambique |
| Country code | +258 |
| Mobile numbers | 9 digits, starting with 8. You can write them with or without the country code: 841234567 and +258 84 123 4567 are the same number. |
| Operators | Vodacom, Movitel and Tmcel |
| Message without special accents (GSM-7) | Up to 160 characters in one part. In a longer message, 153 per part. |
| Message with accents such as ã, ç, á or with emojis (Unicode, UCS-2) | Up to 70 characters in one part. In a longer message, 67 per part. |
| Credits | 1 credit for each part. |
| Maximum length | 1,600 characters per message. |
| Sender name (Sender ID) | Up to 11 characters: letters, numbers and spaces. |
| A single accent can double the cost. One “ã” or “ç” is enough to move the whole message to the 70-character limit. See how many credits an SMS uses before a large campaign. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the same name in Mozambique and in Angola? Yes, but it is one request per country: the same name in both countries means two requests. The rules for Angola are in SMS rules in Angola.
How long does approval take? Our team checks the request and replies within 48 business hours. Final approval depends on the operators and the relevant authority, so we do not give a time frame for it. Until then, you can send with NETMSG.
Can customers reply to the SMS? No. Named senders cannot receive replies. Write a phone number, an e-mail address or your website in the message.
Who can request a Sender ID? An organisation with the documents above. The request is made in that organisation's name, and the sender name should be your brand or a short form of it.
Do I need a Sender ID to get started? No. You can send today with NETMSG, with no request, no cost and no documents.
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See the Sender ID and credit prices, and start today with NETMSG. See SMS prices |
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