# Bulk SMS, OTP and TDRA sender ID registration in the UAE

> BroadNet delivers A2P SMS and OTP in the UAE over direct connections to Etisalat / e& and du, plus an operator-grade route to Virgin Mobile, with TDRA sender ID registration in 5-7 business days.

- Canonical URL: https://www.broadnet.me/coverage/uae
- Language: en
- Last updated: 2026-10-21
- Publisher: BroadNet (https://www.broadnet.me)

BroadNet originates A2P traffic to Etisalat (e&) and du from inside the UAE — registered with TDRA and billed in AED.

## Key facts

- Regulator: TDRA (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority)
- Dialling code: +971
- MCC: 424
- Mobile subscribers: 21.5M
- Sender-ID lead time: 5-7 business days
- Time to launch: Live in 5–15 business days from test-access request to production
- Typical OTP latency: 2.6 s
- Typical delivery rate, operator-direct: 99.6%
- SMS price band: AED 0.0452 (indicative list rates, reviewed 2026-09-24)
- Billing currencies: AED, USD, SAR

## Operators

| Operator | MNC | Route | Grade | A2P rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etisalat / e& | 424-02 | Direct | A+ | AED 0.0452 |
| du | 424-03 | Direct | A+ | AED 0.0452 |
| Virgin Mobile | MVNO · du | Operator-grade | A | AED 0.0452 |

## Technical facts for the UAE

Network codes, message lengths and sender-ID rules in one table. Segment lengths are the GSM standard values (3GPP TS 23.038).

| Technical facts | |
|---|---|
| Mobile country code (MCC) | 424 |
| Dialling code | +971 |
| Operators (MCC-MNC) | Etisalat / e& · 424-02; du · 424-03 |
| SMS length, GSM-7 (Latin alphabet) | 160 characters in a single SMS; 153 per part when concatenated |
| SMS length, UCS-2 (Arabic, Cyrillic and other scripts) | 70 characters in a single SMS; 67 per part when concatenated |
| Regulator | TDRA (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority) |
| Sender-ID rules | Alphanumeric sender IDs must be pre-registered with TDRA via the operator. One ID per legal entity per use case. AD- prefix mandatory on promotional senders under TDRA rules. |
| Sender-ID lead time | 5-7 business days |

## Pricing

| Band | Transactional | Promotional | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-go | AED 0.0452 | AED 0.057 | List rate up to 100K messages/month |
| Growth · 100K+ | AED 0.0398 | AED 0.050 | Auto-tier discount |
| Volume · 1M+ | AED 0.0334 | AED 0.0421 | Includes quarterly route review |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Direct operator pricing + signed SLA |

## Sender ID

Alphanumeric sender IDs must be pre-registered with TDRA via the operator. One ID per legal entity per use case. AD- prefix mandatory on promotional senders under TDRA rules.

Sender ID registration via TDRA: one-time AED 250 + AED 500 / year, handled on your behalf.

## Rules

- **Sender ID pre-registration**: Alphanumeric sender IDs must be filed with TDRA via the operator. BroadNet manages registration end-to-end (typically 5-7 business days).
- **AD- prefix for promotional**: Marketing senders carry an AD- prefix under TDRA rules. Transactional traffic is exempt but must remain off-promo.
- **07:00-21:00 GST window**: Promotional A2P may only be sent between 7am and 9pm Gulf Standard Time. Transactional (OTP, alerts) is 24/7.
- **Opt-out + STOP keyword**: Every promotional SMS must include an opt-out. STOP and ايقاف are honoured network-wide and audited by TDRA.
- **PDPL alignment**: Federal Decree-Law 45/2021 governs recipient PII. BroadNet's PDPL-aligned data plane sits in MENA-region Tier-3 facilities.

## Compliance

PDPL (Federal Decree-Law 45/2021) governs PII handling. Promotional traffic restricted to 07:00–21:00 GST; transactional 24/7. Data plane sits in Dubai Tier-3 facilities.

## Sample A2P template

```text
Your BroadNet verification code is 384921. Do not share it with anyone. Reply STOP to opt out.
```

Arabic:

```text
رمز التحقق الخاص بك من BroadNet هو 384921. لا تشاركه مع أي شخص. للإلغاء أرسل STOP.
```

## Related

- https://www.broadnet.me/regulations/uae
- https://www.broadnet.me/pricing/sms/uae