Egypt SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Egypt SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Egypt has a vibrant mobile messaging ecosystem dominated by four major operators: Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, Etisalat Egypt, and WE (formerly TE Data). While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are popular for personal communications, SMS remains crucial for business communications, particularly for authentication, notifications, and marketing. Android devices hold a significant market share in Egypt, making SMS an essential channel for reaching a broad audience.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Egypt

Egypt offers robust SMS capabilities with support for concatenated messages and alphanumeric sender IDs, though two-way messaging is not supported and certain restrictions apply to ensure regulatory compliance.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Egypt for A2P (Application-to-Person) messaging. Businesses must use one-way messaging for their communications.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenation is supported, though availability may vary based on sender ID type.
Message length rules: Standard 160 characters before splitting occurs using GSM-7 encoding.
Encoding considerations: Messages using GSM-7 encoding can contain up to 160 characters, while UCS-2 encoding (used for Arabic and special characters) allows up to 70 characters before splitting.

MMS Support

MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This ensures compatibility across all devices while still allowing rich media content to be shared through a web link.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is available in Egypt. While this feature is supported, it doesn't significantly impact message delivery or routing as messages are automatically routed to the current carrier.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in Egypt. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a 400 response with error code 21614, and no charges will be incurred.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Egypt

SMS communications in Egypt are regulated by the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA). All SMS marketing and communications must comply with NTRA guidelines, which emphasize consumer protection and proper business practices. The regulatory framework requires businesses to maintain transparency and respect user privacy rights.

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit consent is mandatory before sending any marketing or promotional messages. Best practices for obtaining and documenting consent include:

• Collecting written or digital opt-in confirmation
• Maintaining detailed records of consent acquisition
• Clearly stating the type and frequency of messages users will receive
• Providing transparent terms and conditions
• Including the business name and purpose in consent requests

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• All SMS campaigns must support HELP and STOP commands in both English and Arabic
• Standard keywords include:
  • STOP/??????????
  • HELP/????????????
  • UNSUBSCRIBE/??????????_????????????????
• Messages must include clear opt-out instructions
• STOP requests must be processed immediately and confirmed

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

While Egypt doesn't maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry, businesses must:

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
• Implement proper documentation of opt-out requests
• Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers
• Best Practice: Proactively filter numbers that have previously opted out before sending campaigns

Time Zone Sensitivity

Egypt observes strict messaging curfews:

• Marketing Messages:
  • Prohibited between 21:00 and 09:00 local time (GMT+02:00)
  • No messages allowed on Fridays, Saturdays, or official holidays
• Transactional Messages: Can be sent 24/7 if urgent
• Time Zone: Egypt follows Eastern European Time (EET)

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Egypt

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Fully supported
Registration requirements:

• Pre-registration required for domestic traffic
• Registration takes approximately 3 weeks
• Must provide company documentation and NOC letter
• International pre-registration optional but recommended

Sender ID preservation: Yes, registered IDs are preserved across networks

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International:

• Domestic long codes not supported
• International long codes supported with limitations

Sender ID preservation: No, international long codes may be modified Provisioning time: N/A for domestic, immediate for international Use cases: Primarily for international communications

Short Codes

Support: Not currently supported in Egypt Provisioning time: N/A Use cases: N/A

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

The following content and industries face strict restrictions:

• Gambling and betting
• Political messages
• Religious content
• Adult-related material
• Alcohol and tobacco
• Pharmaceutical/drug-related content
• Cryptocurrency and financial speculation

Content Filtering

Known carrier filtering rules:

• Messages containing blocked keywords are automatically filtered
• URLs must be from approved domains
• Generic sender IDs (e.g., "INFO", "SMS", "NOTICE") are prohibited

Tips to avoid blocking:

• Use registered sender IDs
• Avoid spam-triggering words
• Include local brand/service name in text
• Keep URLs short and from trusted domains

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Egypt

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear call-to-actions
• Personalize messages with recipient's name
• Use a consistent sender ID across campaigns

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit marketing messages to 2-3 per week per user
• Respect quiet hours and religious observances
• Plan campaigns around major holidays
• Space out messages to avoid overwhelming recipients

Localization

• Support both Arabic and English content
• Use proper character encoding for Arabic text
• Consider cultural sensitivities in message content
• Ensure proper rendering of special characters

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs within 24 hours
• Send confirmation of successful opt-out
• Maintain comprehensive opt-out records
• Regular audit of opt-out compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test messages across all major carriers
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track opt-out rates and patterns
• Regular review of message performance metrics
• Test Arabic character rendering across devices

SMS API integrations for Egypt

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API with specific support for Egypt's messaging requirements. Integration requires account credentials and proper sender ID registration.

import { Twilio } from 'twilio';

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

// Function to send SMS to Egypt
async function sendSMSToEgypt(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<void&gt; {
  try {
    // Ensure proper phone number formatting for Egypt
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+20') ? to : `+20${to}`;

    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: senderId, // Must be pre-registered for Egypt
      to: formattedNumber,
      // Optional parameters for delivery tracking
      statusCallback: 'https://your-callback-url.com/status'
    });

    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers comprehensive SMS capabilities for Egypt with support for both transactional and marketing messages.

import axios from 'axios';

class SinchSMSService {
  private readonly baseUrl: string;
  private readonly apiToken: string;
  private readonly servicePlanId: string;

  constructor(servicePlanId: string, apiToken: string) {
    this.baseUrl = 'https://sms.api.sinch.com/xms/v1';
    this.apiToken = apiToken;
    this.servicePlanId = servicePlanId;
  }

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<void&gt; {
    try {
      const response = await axios.post(
        `${this.baseUrl}/${this.servicePlanId}/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 SMS error:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides reliable SMS delivery in Egypt with support for Arabic content and delivery reporting.

import messagebird from 'messagebird';

class MessageBirdService {
  private client: any;

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

  sendSMS(
    to: string,
    message: string,
    senderId: string
  ): Promise<any&gt; {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) =&gt; {
      this.client.messages.create({
        originator: senderId,
        recipients: [to],
        body: message,
        type: 'sms',
        datacoding: 'unicode' // For Arabic content support
      }, (err: any, response: any) =&gt; {
        if (err) {
          reject(err);
        } else {
          resolve(response);
        }
      });
    });
  }
}

Plivo

Plivo offers SMS capabilities with specific features for the Egyptian market.

import plivo from 'plivo';

class PlivoSMSService {
  private client: any;

  constructor(authId: string, authToken: string) {
    this.client = new plivo.Client(authId, authToken);
  }

  async sendSMS(
    to: string,
    message: string,
    senderId: string
  ): Promise<void&gt; {
    try {
      const response = await this.client.messages.create({
        src: senderId, // Registered sender ID
        dst: to,
        text: message,
        // Egypt-specific parameters
        url_strip_query_params: false,
        method: 'POST'
      });

      console.log('Message sent:', response.messageUuid);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Plivo error:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Default rate limit: 100 messages per second
• Batch processing recommended for large volumes
• Implement exponential backoff for retry logic

Strategies for Large-Scale Sending:

• Use message queuing systems (Redis, RabbitMQ)
• Implement batch processing (50-100 messages per batch)
• Monitor throughput and adjust sending rates
• Schedule campaigns during off-peak hours

Error Handling and Reporting

• Implement comprehensive logging
• Monitor delivery receipts
• Track common error codes:
  • 4001: Invalid sender ID
  • 4002: Message blocked
  • 4003: Number blacklisted
• Store delivery status updates
• Set up automated alerts for high failure rates

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

1. Compliance First: Always ensure sender ID registration and content compliance
2. Timing Matters: Respect quiet hours and cultural considerations
3. Technical Setup: Implement proper error handling and monitoring
4. Content Quality: Focus on relevant, well-formatted messages

Next Steps

1. Review Regulations

   • Visit NTRA website: www.tra.gov.eg
   • Download compliance guidelines
   • Register sender IDs

2. Technical Implementation

   • Choose appropriate SMS provider
   • Set up monitoring systems
   • Test message delivery across carriers

3. Legal Compliance

   • Consult with local legal counsel
   • Document consent procedures
   • Establish privacy policies

Additional Information:

• NTRA Guidelines: www.tra.gov.eg/en/regulation
• Egyptian Consumer Protection Law
• Mobile Operator Guidelines:
  • Vodafone Egypt
  • Orange Egypt
  • Etisalat Egypt
  • WE