Australia SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Australia SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Australia has a highly developed mobile market with near-universal SMS adoption. The country's major mobile operators include Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone, collectively serving over 25 million mobile subscriptions. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are popular, SMS remains a critical communication channel, particularly for business communications and authentication purposes. The market shows a relatively even split between Android and iOS devices, with iOS having a slight edge in urban areas.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Australia

Australia offers comprehensive SMS capabilities including two-way messaging, concatenated messages, and MMS support, with strong infrastructure for business messaging and strict compliance requirements.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is fully supported in Australia with no significant restrictions. Businesses can engage in bi-directional messaging for customer service, automated responses, and interactive campaigns.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenation is fully supported across all major carriers.
Message length rules: Single SMS messages are limited to 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 characters for Unicode (UCS-2). Messages exceeding these limits are automatically segmented.
Encoding considerations: GSM-7 encoding is recommended for standard English text to maximize character limit. UCS-2 encoding is automatically used for messages containing special characters or non-Latin alphabets.

MMS Support

MMS is fully supported in Australia across all major carriers. Businesses can send images, short videos, and longer text content. Best practices include keeping media files under 600KB and using common image formats (JPEG, PNG) for optimal delivery.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is available in Australia, allowing customers to keep their phone numbers when switching carriers. This feature is managed through the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) system and does not affect SMS delivery or routing.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Australia. Attempts to send SMS to landline numbers will result in delivery failure, with the API returning a 400 response with error code 21614. Messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Australia

SMS communications in Australia are primarily governed by the Spam Act 2003 and overseen by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). All commercial electronic messages must comply with three key requirements: consent, identification, and unsubscribe functionality. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) provides additional oversight regarding data privacy and protection.

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit consent is mandatory under Australian law for commercial SMS messages. Best practices include:

• Obtaining clear, express consent through opt-in forms or checkboxes
• Maintaining detailed records of when and how consent was obtained
• Clearly stating the types of messages recipients will receive
• Using double opt-in processes for additional verification
• Regularly updating consent records and removing expired consents

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

Required Keywords:

• STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, or CANCEL for opt-out requests
• HELP for information about the service
• All keywords must be processed in both uppercase and lowercase
• Messages must include clear instructions for opting out
• Response times should be immediate for STOP requests

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Australia maintains the Do Not Call Register (DNCR), administered by ACMA. Key requirements:

• Mandatory compliance with the DNCR for marketing messages
• Regular washing of contact lists against the DNCR database
• Maintenance of internal do-not-contact lists
• Immediate processing of opt-out requests
• Recommended: Monthly DNCR list updates and verification

Time Zone Sensitivity

Australia spans multiple time zones, requiring careful message timing:

• Recommended sending hours: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM local time
• Consider state-specific time zones and daylight saving changes
• Emergency messages exempt from time restrictions
• Best practice: Schedule messages during business hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM)

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Australia

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Fully supported
Registration requirements: Pre-registration mandatory as of April 25, 2023
Sender ID preservation: Yes, displayed as registered
Provisioning time: 5 business days for registration approval

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International: Both supported
Sender ID preservation: Yes, for both domestic and international
Provisioning time: Immediate for standard long codes
Use cases: Ideal for two-way communication, customer service, and transactional messages

Short Codes

Support: Available through major carriers
Provisioning time: 8-12 weeks for approval
Use cases: High-volume marketing campaigns, 2FA, alerts

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Prohibited Content:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content or services
• Firearms and weapons
• Cannabis and illegal substances
• Cryptocurrency promotions without proper disclaimers

Content Filtering

Carrier Filtering Rules:

• URLs must be from reputable domains
• No excessive capitalization or special characters
• Avoid common spam trigger words
• Maximum of 3 URLs per message

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Australia

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear call-to-actions
• Personalize using recipient's name or relevant details
• Maintain consistent brand voice

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit to 2-4 messages per month per recipient
• Respect public holidays and weekends
• Implement frequency caps
• Allow recipients to set preferred frequency

Localization

• Use Australian English spelling and terminology
• Consider cultural sensitivities
• Support multiple languages where needed
• Include local contact information

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs within 5 working days
• Maintain centralized opt-out database
• Confirm opt-out with one final message
• Regular audit of opt-out compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test across all major carriers (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone)
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics
• Regular testing of opt-out functionality

SMS API integrations for Australia

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Australian messaging requirements. Authentication uses Account SID and Auth Token credentials.

import { Twilio } from 'twilio';

// Initialize Twilio client with credentials
const client = new Twilio(process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);

// Function to send SMS to Australian number
async function sendSMSToAustralia(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    // Ensure number is in E.164 format for Australia (+61)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+61') ? to : `+61${to.substring(1)}`;
    
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: senderId, // Must be pre-registered for Australia
      to: formattedNumber,
      // Optional parameters for delivery tracking
      statusCallback: 'https://your-webhook.com/status'
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully. SID: ${response.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers a REST-based API with specific features for the Australian market. Authentication uses Bearer token.

import axios from 'axios';

class SinchSMSClient {
  private readonly apiToken: string;
  private readonly serviceId: string;
  private readonly baseUrl = 'https://au.sms.api.sinch.com/xms/v1';

  constructor(serviceId: string, apiToken: string) {
    this.serviceId = serviceId;
    this.apiToken = apiToken;
  }

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await axios.post(
        `${this.baseUrl}/${this.serviceId}/batches`,
        {
          from: senderId,
          to: [to],
          body: message,
          delivery_report: 'summary'
        },
        {
          headers: {
            'Authorization': `Bearer ${this.apiToken}`,
            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
          }
        }
      );
      
      console.log('Message sent:', response.data.id);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Sinch API error:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides a streamlined API for Australian SMS delivery with strong delivery reporting.

import { MessageBird } from 'messagebird';

class MessageBirdClient {
  private client: MessageBird;

  constructor(apiKey: string) {
    this.client = new MessageBird(apiKey);
  }

  async sendSMS(
    to: string,
    message: string,
    senderId: string
  ): Promise<void> {
    const params = {
      originator: senderId,
      recipients: [to],
      body: message,
      reportUrl: 'https://your-webhook.com/delivery-reports'
    };

    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      this.client.messages.create(params, (err, response) => {
        if (err) {
          console.error('MessageBird error:', err);
          reject(err);
        } else {
          console.log('Message sent:', response.id);
          resolve();
        }
      });
    });
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

Australian carriers implement various rate limits:

• Maximum Messages per Second: 100 messages/second per sender ID
• Daily Limits: Vary by carrier and sender type
• Concurrent Requests: 25-50 simultaneous connections

Throughput Management Strategies:

• Implement exponential backoff for retries
• Use message queuing systems (Redis, RabbitMQ)
• Batch messages for optimal throughput
• Monitor carrier-specific throttling responses

Error Handling and Reporting

Best Practices:

• Implement comprehensive logging with correlation IDs
• Monitor delivery receipts via webhooks
• Track carrier-specific error codes
• Maintain error rate alerting
• Store message metadata for troubleshooting

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways:

1. Pre-register alphanumeric sender IDs
2. Implement proper consent management
3. Follow time zone-sensitive sending
4. Maintain proper opt-out handling
5. Monitor delivery metrics

Next Steps:

1. Review ACMA's Spam Act 2003 requirements
2. Implement proper consent collection
3. Set up delivery monitoring
4. Test across all major carriers

Additional Resources:

• ACMA Official Website
• Spam Act 2003
• Do Not Call Register
• Australian Privacy Principles

Industry Guidelines:

• Communications Alliance Guidelines
• Mobile Premium Services Code