--- title: "Sending SMS to the US, New Zealand, and other countries" url: "https://enfonica.com/help/sms/international-sms" summary: "Cloud SMS sends to other countries through the same API, but each country's carriers set their own rules. The US needs a verified US toll-free number, New Zealand needs a short code, and Canada needs your brand verified. Many countries don't accept sender IDs, so talk to us well before you start." type: explainer audience: everyone products: ["Cloud SMS"] --- # Sending SMS to the US, New Zealand, and other countries **Short answer:** Cloud SMS sends to other countries through the same API, but each country's carriers set their own rules. The US needs a verified US toll-free number, New Zealand needs a short code, and Canada needs your brand verified. Many countries don't accept sender IDs, so talk to us well before you start. **Applies to:** Cloud SMS ## Why are some countries different? Every country's mobile carriers set their own rules for business SMS. The rules cover which kinds of sender they accept, whether the sender must be registered first, and what content they allow. A message that doesn't meet the rules is usually blocked by the carrier in that country, after Enfonica has passed it on. So it shows as Undelivered in **Cloud SMS > Messages**, instead of failing when you send it. Some countries need setup that takes weeks. Our team does it, with information from you. Ask us as soon as you know you'll be sending to a new country. ## Can I send from my sender ID overseas? In some countries. For example, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Singapore accept alphanumeric sender IDs. The United States, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, China, and India don't. The [sender ID support table](https://enfonica.com/docs/cloud-sms/alphanumeric-sender-id-support/) lists every country. The Australian SMS Sender ID Register covers only messages to Australian numbers. Enfonica's check for registered sender IDs doesn't apply to messages to other countries. Each country's own rules apply instead. ## How do I send SMS to the United States? Send from an SMS-enabled US toll-free number that's verified for your use case. US carriers don't accept alphanumeric sender IDs, and they block SMS that isn't sent from a registered US number. Messages from an Australian number or a sender ID won't arrive. To get a verified toll-free number: 1. Contact us with what you'll be sending and roughly how many messages. 2. We send you a verification form about your business and your messages. 3. We provision the toll-free number in your project and submit the verification. Verification takes several weeks. 4. After the number is verified, send from it as you would from any other number. US carriers refuse to verify some kinds of business at all, such as brands that sell cannabis, CBD, or vaping products. ## How do I send SMS to New Zealand? Send from a dedicated short code, which is a short number used for business messaging. New Zealand carriers accept business SMS only from a short code. Messages from an Australian number or a sender ID are likely to be blocked. To get a short code, you answer a questionnaire about your use case, and questions about how people opt in to your messages. Then the New Zealand carriers review it. The process takes two to six weeks. There are two kinds of short code: - **Standard short code**. People are charged to text it. - **Free-to-end-user short code**. People aren't charged to text it. SMS to New Zealand costs more than SMS within Australia. For rates, see [pricing](https://enfonica.com/pricing). ## How do I send SMS to Canada? Get your brand verified first. Canadian carriers require brand verification before they deliver business SMS, as part of their efforts to reduce spam. Contact us before you start sending, and we'll take you through the verification. ## What about other countries? Rules in other countries vary, and they change from time to time. Wherever you're sending, these steps help: - **Use the full international number**. Use E.164 format, with the country code and without the leading 0, for example `+447700900123` for a UK mobile. - **Check the sender**. If you send from a sender ID, check the [sender ID support table](https://enfonica.com/docs/cloud-sms/alphanumeric-sender-id-support/) first. - **Test before a large send**. Send to a phone in that country, and check that the message shows as Delivered. If you're not sure what a country needs, ask us before a large send. SMS Marketing campaigns can be sent only to Australian numbers. To message people in other countries, use the Cloud SMS API. ## How do I get started? Contact us with these details: - The countries you want to send to. - The sender you want to use. - The kind of messages, such as appointment reminders, one-time codes, or marketing. - Your expected volumes. - When you need to start. We'll tell you what each country needs and how long it's likely to take. Rates for each country are on our [pricing page](https://enfonica.com/pricing). ## Related - [An SMS wasn't delivered, or arrived late](https://enfonica.com/help/sms/sms-not-delivered.md) - [Register an alphanumeric sender ID for SMS in Australia](https://enfonica.com/help/sender-ids/register-alphanumeric-sender-id.md) - [Pricing](https://enfonica.com/pricing) - [Countries that support alphanumeric sender IDs (docs)](https://enfonica.com/docs/cloud-sms/alphanumeric-sender-id-support/) - [Cloud SMS overview (docs)](https://enfonica.com/docs/cloud-sms/overview/) --- Web version: https://enfonica.com/help/sms/international-sms