Here’s a comprehensive guide to SMS compliance, focusing on laws, regulations, and best practices:
Various regulatory bodies and associations oversee SMS compliance globally. In the U.S., the key entities include:
In conclusion, SMS compliance is crucial for maintaining a positive customer experience and complying with legal requirements. By following these guidelines and best practices, you can ensure that your SMS campaigns are effective, lawful, and well-received by your audience.
For more information or assistance with SMS compliance, contact elfoA2P’s support team.
An overview of the key rules and regulations you need to be aware of when sending commercial SMS across borders.
In most countries, you can only send SMS messages to customers who have explicitly opted in to receive them. Implied opt-in is no longer acceptable, and you must provide a free unsubscribe link in your messages.
Sender ID is a unique name or standard mobile number that shows in the “from” field of the text messages on the phone. it can be numerical (short code/long code up to 15 chars), alphabetical, alphadynamic (up to 11 chars) and fully dynamic (mix alphabet and numerical). in some cases, Sender IDs needs to be registered depending on the rules and regulations of some countries
Most countries differentiate between transactional and marketing messages and apply different restrictions. There are usually additional restrictions on content related to gambling, drugs, alcohol, adult-themed products, and political and religious topics.
While the standard SMS limit is 160 characters per segment or up to 70 if one or more Unicode characters are used in the SMS content. Unicode are special characters such as Chinese and Arabic characters. Sending more than 160 characters (or 70 unicode characters) will force the SMS to be split into multiple segments which will potentially affect per-SMS cost as well as delivery rates since some telcos might behave differently towards long messages. If needed, it is best to keep the characters below 320 to ensure best delivery rates and user experience
In many countries, businesses are only allowed to send messages between certain hours and sometimes not at all on certain days.
Many countries have ‘do not contact’ or ‘do not disturb’ registries that consumers can opt into to avoid receiving business communications. These registries must be respected by businesses.
In the US, both marketing and transactional messaging are allowed, but only to subscribers who have opted in. There are also restrictions on the promotion of certain financial products and lead generation campaigns.
Europe has strict rules regarding SMS marketing, requiring explicit opt-in and easy opt-out methods. GDPR and the E-privacy Directive are some of the key legislations that apply.
APAC and MENA regions have diverse regulations, and compliance can be challenging. Businesses need to stay updated with local legislation to ensure compliance.
In conclusion, compliance with SMS regulations is crucial to avoid fines and maintain your reputation. It’s essential to stay informed about the rules in each market you operate in and to use a reliable SMS API provider like elfoA2P to ensure compliance.
Please note that this content is provided for information purposes only and should not be relied on as legal or compliance advice.
At elfoA2P, we prioritize compliance with global SMS regulations to ensure that our users can effectively and legally communicate with their audiences worldwide. Here’s a summary of the guidelines and regulations specific to Malaysia:
To comply with MCMC regulations, brands must ensure that their messages adhere to the following guidelines:
Compliance with MCMC regulations is crucial for MCS providers operating in Malaysia. By adhering to these guidelines, providers can ensure that their services are delivered effectively and in compliance with local regulations.
For more information on MCMC compliance, please refer to the MCMC guidelines or consult legal professionals.
Note: This guide provides general information on brands’ compliance with MCMC regulations and should not be considered legal advice. It is recommended to consult legal professionals to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
To ensure the highest level of compliance and security, we require verification of your company’s identity and compliance information. This process is crucial for maintaining a trusted and reliable messaging ecosystem.
Why Verify Your Account?
Verifying your account helps us to:
By verifying your account, you can ensure that your messages are delivered efficiently and effectively, while also maintaining the trust and confidence of your recipients. Our account verification process is simple and straightforward, and our support team is always available to guide you through the process.
How to Verify Your Account?
To verify your account and start using our A2P SMS services, follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Access the Account Verification Dashboard
Log in to your elfoA2P account and navigate to the Account Verification dashboard.
Step 2: Enter Company Details
Complete the Company Details section by providing the following information:
Step 3: Enter Person In-Charge Details
Complete the Person In-Charge Details section by providing the following information:
Step 4: Upload Documents (Optional)
You may be required to upload additional documents to support your account verification. These documents may include:
Step 5: User Declaration and Agreement
Read and agree to the User Declaration and Terms and Conditions by checking the box. This confirms that the information provided is accurate and up to date.
Step 6: Submit Your Application
Click the “Submit” button to submit your account verification application.
What to Expect Next
Our team will review your application and documents, which may take 1-2 working days. We will notify you via email once the verification is complete.
Verification Outcome
If your account verification is successful, you will receive a confirmation email with further instructions on how to start using our A2P SMS services.
If your account verification is denied, you will receive an email with instructions on how to address the issues and resubmit your application.
Need Assistance?
If you need help or have questions during the account verification process, feel free to drop us a message for priority support and faster account verification at elfoa2psupport@elfo.com.
Benefits of Verified Accounts
Verified accounts enjoy a range of benefits, including:
We encourage all our users to verify their accounts to ensure a safe, secure, and compliant messaging experience.
Welcome to the elfoA2P Messaging Best Practice Guidelines. This guide is designed to help you understand the best practices for using our platform and to ensure the highest quality messaging experience.
At elfoA2P, we strive to maintain the credibility and utility of the messaging ecosystem. The objective of these guidelines is to enable desired messages and prevent unwanted or deceptive messages. While these guidelines encourage correct behaviors, the spirit behind them is equally important. Message senders acting in bad faith to thwart or undermine the spirit of these policies should expect to experience penalties.
Our policies are enforced at several points during message delivery, including:
Violations
Violations of guidelines may result in one or more of the following resolutions taken by elfoA2P, aggregator, or carrier:
Key terms used in our policies include:
To maintain consumer confidence in messaging services, Brands should:
elfoA2P is not responsible or liable for any security breaches made by the brands.
Our messaging ecosystem should operate consistent with relevant laws and regulations, such as the TCPA and associated FCC regulations regarding Consumer consent for communications.
At elfoA2P, we are committed to preserving the credibility and utility of the messaging ecosystem by enabling wanted messages and preventing unwanted or deceptive messages. We enforce our policies at various points during message delivery and take appropriate action against violations. Our guidelines are intended to encourage correct behaviors and maintain consumer confidence in messaging services.
Communication knows no borders, however when planning an international SMS campaign, it’s important to pay attention to key details and country-specific rules and regulations. This user manual help centre provides guidelines for sending SMS campaigns to different countries using the elfoA2P SMS Platform.
| Country | Sender pre-registration | Fee for registering sender ID | Network operator | Restrictions for sender IDs | Further restrictions and notes |
| Albania | – | – | – | Alphanumeric IDs are partially filtered | No special restrictions |
| Algeria | ✓ | – | All | Local and alphanumeric numbers are partially filtered, numeric numbers are partially replaced | No special restrictions |
| Angola | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are partially filtered | No special restrictions |
| Argentina | – | – | – | International IDs are replaced by long, dynamic codes | Voice calls are extended with 9, for SMS: country code 54 + 10 digit local number |
| Australia | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Austria | – | – | – | Alphanumeric sender only or +43 phone number | No special restrictions |
| Azerbaijan | – | – | – | IDs are partially replaced by shortcodes to ensure delivery | No special restrictions |
| Bahrain | – | – | – | International IDs are overwritten depending on the route | Use providers with adaptive routing, content is heavily censored |
| Bangladesh | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are partially replaced by local numbers | International SMS are heavily filtered for spam and keywords, fake DLR |
| Belarus | ✓ | – | All | Alphanumeric IDs recommended | No special restrictions |
| Belgium | ✓ | – | All | 8*** shortcodes, no alphanumeric IDs | Obligatory customer opt-in/opt-out, GSM only – no Unicode |
| Bosnia & Herzegowina | ✓ | M-Tel: 21€; Telenor 67€ | Mtel | Alphanumeric IDs recommended | International P2P marketing not allowed on some routes |
| Botswana | – | – | – | International IDs are replaced by shortcode to ensure delivery | No special restrictions |
| Brazil | – | – | – | International IDs are often blocked or not supported | Routes are unstable, content is censored (marketing, politics, religion), no Unicode |
| Brunei | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Bulgaria | ✓ | – | All | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Cambodia | – | – | – | No special restrictions | DLR are often unreliable, use providers with adaptive routing |
| Cameroon | ✓ | – | Nexttel | No special restrictions | Routes are filtered heavily, no political content, unicode only for Chinese characters |
| Canada | ✓ | – | All | Alphanumeric sender IDs are not supported | Limited transfer rate, content with financing offers partially prohibited |
| Chad | ✓ | – | All | Alphanumeric IDs are recommended, no spaces allowed | No special restrictions |
| Chile | – | – | – | International IDs are replaced by random numeric senders | International SMS are heavily filtered and censored (politics, adult content), no Unicode |
| China | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are replaced by numeric senders | SMS are heavily filtered and censored, max. 65 characters unicode, max. 130 characters GSM |
| Colombia | – | – | – | International IDs are replaced by shortcode or local sender | Colombian networks do not send DLR |
| Costa Rica | ✓ | – | Claro | International IDs are replaced by long sender numbers | No special restrictions |
| Croatia | ✓ | – | All | Partially no alphanumeric IDs supported | Unreliable DLR |
| Cuba | ✓ | – | Cubacel | Only alphanumeric sender IDs for A2P | Experience shows that only globally known brands are registered, long processing times |
| Cyprus | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Czech Republic | ✓ | 5,00 € | All | ID is replaced by local shortcode, partially by alphanumeric/numeric number | Strong filtering and high interworking fees for international SMS |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | – | – | – | International IDs are partially replaced by shortcode, depending on the route | No special restrictions |
| Denmark | – | – | – | No special restrictions | International routes are partially filtered, use providers with direct connection |
| Dominican Republic | – | – | – | ID should be replaced with shortcode to ensure delivery | DLR is not supported for some routes |
| Ecuador | – | – | – | IDs are replaced by shortcodes or long, virtual numbers, depending on the routing | For some routes <140 characters are not allowed, Unicode is only partially supported, no DLR |
| Egypt | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are replaced by shortcode to ensure delivery | International SMS are heavily filtered and censored (politics, religion, adult topics) |
| El Salvador | ✓ | – | Claro | International IDs are partially replaced by random numeric senders | No special restrictions |
| Estonia | – | – | – | No special restrictions | International routes are partially filtered, use providers with direct connection |
| Finland | – | – | – | Depending on the route, ID may be replaced by random number | Use providers with adaptive routing for best possible transmission quality |
| France | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are partially replaced by shortcode or local number | GSM characters are partially downgraded, Unicode is largely supported |
| Germany | – | – | – | No special restrictions | Spamming and phishing are prohibited |
| Ghana | – | – | – | Sender ID is replaced by shortcode, depending on the route | No special restrictions |
| Greece | – | – | – | Depending on the route, ID may be replaced by random number | International routes are partially filtered, use providers with direct connection |
| Guatemala | ✓ | – | Claro | International IDs are replaced by random numeric senders | Often unreliable or fake DLR |
| Haiti | ✓ | – | Natcom | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Honduras | ✓ | – | Claro | No special restrictions | Often unreliable routes, fake DLR |
| Hungary | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are recommended | High interworking fees, local routes |
| India | ✓ | – | All | Partially, letters are set in front of ID to identify sender/gateway | A2P SMS only delivered between 9am and 9pm, spam is blocked |
| Indonesia | ✓ | – | All | Sender IDs are replaced by alpha values to ensure delivery | No unicode, contents are filtered by keywords, unreliable DLR |
| Iran | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are recommended | Content is heavily censored (politics, religion, adult topics), unreliable DLR |
| Iraq | – | – | – | Different filters depending on route, IDs are partially replaced | No brackets, partially unreliable or no DLR |
| Ireland | – | – | – | No special restrictions | International routes are heavily filtered, use providers with direct connection |
| Israel | – | – | – | Dynamic IDs are partially replaced by random numeric senders | Unreliable DLR, SMS cannot be sent to numbers registered as “kosher” |
| Italy | ✓ | – | All | Company name in sender ID must be your own | No special restrictions |
| Ivory Coast | – | – | – | Use of a shortcode is recommended for the network “Orange” | No special restrictions |
| Japan | – | – | – | Different filters depending on route, IDs are partially replaced | Locally illegal content is blocked, unicode only with Japanese characters |
| Jordan | ✓ | – | All | IDs are set to “verify” or “sms” depending on the routing | Spam filters partially block A2P and deliver false DLR, adult content prohibited |
| Kazakhstan | ✓ | Tele2 & Altel: 33€, other: free | All | ID is replaced to ensure delivery depending on the route | No special restrictions |
| Kenya | ✓ | – | Safaricom | Safaricom overwrites all senders with fixed alpha values | Contact your provider in advance, especially for 2FA; unreliable DLR |
| Kuwait | ✓ | – | All | Alphanumeric IDs are replaced by random international senders | Unreliable or no DLR |
| Laos | ✓ | – | Star Telecom | No special restrictions | Unreliable DLR |
| Latvia | – | – | – | No special restrictions | Identical SMS sent to the same number within 5 minutes are blocked as spam |
| Lebanon | ✓ | – | All | Numeric IDs are blocked | Content is heavily censored (politics, religion, adult topics) |
| Lithuania | – | – | – | Alphanumeric IDs must be registered | No special restrictions |
| Madagascar | – | – | – | Alphanumeric and some numeric IDs are partially blocked | No special restrictions |
| Malawi | – | – | – | Due to unstable routes the sender ID is changed to “SMS” | No special restrictions |
| Malaysia | – | – | – | Sender IDs are replaced by random local numbers/shortcodes | Spam filters partially block A2P and deliver false DLR, content is censored |
| Mali | – | – | – | Alphanumeric IDs and shortcodes are partially filtered | No special restrictions |
| Malta | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Mauritius | ✓ | – | Mauritius Telecom | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Mexico | ✓ | – | Telcel | International IDs are replaced by random numeric IDs/shortcodes | Marketing SMS are filtered, content is heavily censored (politics, religion, adult content) |
| Monaco | – | – | – | Alphanumeric IDs and shortcodes are filtered | No special restrictions |
| Mongolia | – | – | – | Sender IDs are replaced by international number | No special restrictions |
| Morocco | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are replaced by specific senders | No special restrictions |
| Mozambique | ✓ | – | Movitel | International IDs are replaced by numeric senders | No special restrictions |
| Myanmar | ✓ | – | Mytel | IDs are replaced by local or international numeric senders | OTP message content may be changed to ensure delivery |
| Namibia | – | – | – | International IDs are replaced by local shortcode | No special restrictions |
| Nepal | ✓ | – | Mero Mobile | No special restrictions | No social invitations allowed |
| Netherlands | ✓ | – | All | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| New Zealand | – | – | – | International IDs are partially replaced by long virtual numbers or local shortcode to ensure delivery | Social invitations are prohibited |
| Nicaragua | ✓ | – | Claro | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Niger | – | – | – | No |
| Nigeria | ✓ | – | All | Alphanumeric IDs recommended | No special restrictions |
| North Macedonia | – | – | – | Alphanumeric IDs & shortcodes are partially replaced by random number | No special restrictions |
| Norway | – | – | – | No special restrictions | International routes are partially filtered, use providers with direct connection |
| Oman | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are partially replaced to ensure delivery | A2P is partially filtered depending on the route, unicode is not recommended |
| Pakistan | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are replaced to ensure delivery | Content is heavily censored (politics, marketing) |
| Palestine | ✓ | – | Jawwal | International IDs are partially replaced to ensure delivery | Content is heavily censored (politics, religion, adult topics) |
| Panama | ✓ | – | Claro | Shortcodes are partially filtered, international numeric IDs are recommended | No special restrictions |
| Papua New Guinea | – | – | – | No spaces in dynamic IDs allowed | No special restrictions |
| Paraguay | – | – | – | International IDs are replaced by random numeric IDs/shortcodes | DLR is not supported or fake |
| Peru | – | – | – | International IDs are partially replaced to ensure delivery | No special restrictions |
| Philippines | ✓ | – | All | No generic or numeric sender IDs allowed | Spam filter; fake DLR, heavily limited character sets, contents are censored |
| Poland | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are partially filtered, company names blocked | SMS with premium/speed dial number are blocked for A2P, gambling content is prohibited |
| Portugal | – | – | – | No shortcodes allowed | Numerical IDs from Russia are filtered, some senders are blocked locally |
| Qatar | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are partially replaced, generic IDs not allowed | Content is heavily censored (politics, religion, adult topics) |
| Republic of the Congo | – | – | – | International IDs are partially replaced by shortcode, depending on the route | No special restrictions |
| Romania | – | 375,00 € | – | Alphanumeric IDs are supported only partially | Identical SMS sent to the same number within 5 minutes are blocked as spam |
| Russia | ✓ | 200€ per month | All | Numeric IDs and shortcode are replaced | International routes are heavily filtered, use providers with adaptive connection |
| Rwanda | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Saudi Arabia | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are partially overwritten, numeric IDs with >11 characters are blocked | Spam filters, unstable routes, content is censored (politics, religion, adult topics) |
| Senegal | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Serbia | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are partially filtered | No special restrictions |
| Singapore | – | – | – | International IDs are partially replaced to ensure delivery | Advertising financial loans is strictly prohibited, DNC register (do not call) since 2014 |
| Slovakia | ✓ | – | O2 | Numeric IDs are partially filtered | No special restrictions |
| Slovenia | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are partially replaced | No special restrictions |
| Somalia | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| South Africa | – | – | – | International IDs are replaced by local numbers | Content is heavily censored (politics, religion, adult topics) |
| South Korea | – | – | – | Only numeric IDs allowed, alphanumeric IDs are replaced by global numeric IDs | Chinese and binary characters not supported, content is censored |
| South Sudan | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are blocked, depending on routing | No special restrictions |
| Spain | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Sri Lanka | ✓ | – | Dialog | International IDs are partially replaced by fixed alpha values | No special restrictions |
| Sudan | – | – | – | Numeric IDs are blocked, depending on routing | No special restrictions |
| Sweden | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Switzerland | – | – | – | No special restrictions | No special restrictions |
| Syria | ✓ | – | SyriaTel | Alphanumeric IDs and shortcodes are filtered and should be replaced | Due to national situation, delivery cannot be guaranteed |
| Taiwan | – | – | – | International IDs are partially replaced by random local numbers | Character sets are slightly limited, unicode is supported; unreliable DLR |
| Tanzania | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are partially overwritten to ensure delivery | No special restrictions |
| Thailand | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are partially replaced to ensure delivery | No special restrictions |
| Tunisia | – | – | – | Alphanumeric IDs are replaced by random numeric senders | No special restrictions |
| Turkey | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are partially replaced to ensure delivery | Content is censored/must be preceded by letters |
| Turkmenistan | – | – | – | Alphanumeric IDs for outgoing SMS are overwritten | Network operator MTS Turkmenistan is currently blocked for international SMS |
| Ukraine | ✓ | – | Astelit | IDs are replaced by local numeric senders | No special restrictions |
| United Arab Emirates | ✓ | – | All | International IDs are partially replaced to ensure delivery | Content is censored (politics, religion, adult content) |
| United Kingdom | – | – | – | Spaces in dynamic IDs are not allowed | Spamming and phishing are prohibited |
| United States | ✓ | – | All | Alphanumeric sender IDs are not supported | Limited transfer rate, content with financing offers partially prohibited |
| Uruguay | – | – | – | International IDs are partially replaced to ensure delivery | No special restrictions |
| Venezuela | – | – | – | ||
| Venezuela | – | – | – | International IDs are replaced by shortcode or local sender | DLR and in part Unicode are not supported, delivery delays at peak times (Friday) |
| Vietnam | ✓ | 8€ reg fee, 8 € monthly fee, 34€ monthly for banking | All | Very different filters depending on the route, IDs are partially replaced | Unreliable or no DLR |
| Yemen | – | – | – | Local numeric numbers are partially filtered or replaced by random numbers | Unreliable DLR |
| Zambia | – | – | – | No special restrictions | Partially unreliable DLR |
| Zimbabwe | – | – | – | Numeric IDs can have max. 11 characters | No special restrictions |
The guidelines cover key points for major countries, but you should review the latest requirements for your target countries before running any international SMS campaigns.