# Setup of SMS OTP
With the Signicat SMS OTP service, you can perform SMS-based user authentication.
Integration with SMS OTP is done similarly to other Signicat's eID methods. This page describes how to set up SMS OTP on the Signicat Dashboard (opens new window)
For more general information on how to integrate with Signicat, see the Authentication quick start guide.
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# Initial preparations
This set-up guide assumes you have completed the following initial preparations:
- Sign up to the Signicat Dashboard (opens new window).
- In the Signicat Dashboard, set up an organisation, an account and a domain.
Sandbox account
We recommend you to create a Sandbox account to test our services before implementing them in production.
# Add SMS OTP
To use an ID method, you first need to activate it. In the Signicat Dashboard:
- Go to Authentication > ID Methods (opens new window).
- Select Add new.
- Choose SMS OTP from the list and save.
SMS OTP should now appear in the list of available ID methods with the status set to "Active".
# Customise SMS service settings
When using the Signicat SMS OTP service to send OTP codes to end-users, the service inherits the SMS settings configured in the Signicat Communication service.
On the Communication > SMS (opens new window), you can manage the SMS settings for your account. In particular, you can customise:
- SMS sender name
- SMS provider (primary and secondary)
By default, the SMS sender name is set to "Signicat". Learn more about the SMS settings in the Communication service documentation.
# Select protocol and configure ID method
To establish a connection between Signicat SMS OTP service and your application, you need to use an authentication protocol, like OpenID Connect (OIDC) or SAML 2.0. We recommend using OIDC, since SAML 2.0 is much more complex to implement on your side and usually requires a federation agent already in place.
Alternatively, you can integrate with Signicat Authentication REST API. You can find more information on the different types in the Authentication protocols section.