Frequently Asked Questions
Use the E.164 format (+509) for phone numbers and send messages through providers like Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, or Plivo, which offer APIs with Haiti support. Remember to handle opt-outs, monitor delivery rates, and support both French and Haitian Creole in your messages.
Haiti's mobile market is dominated by Digicel and Natcom. While OTT apps are growing, SMS remains crucial, especially in rural areas with limited internet access, making it vital for personal and business communication.
Haiti currently only supports one-way A2P (Application-to-Person) SMS messaging. This means applications can send messages to users, but users cannot directly reply to those messages via SMS.
Adhere to Eastern Time (ET/UTC-4) and send messages between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time. Avoid sending during religious holidays and national celebrations unless it's an urgent communication like a security alert.
Alphanumeric sender IDs are partially supported, except for Natcom (37203). No pre-registration is needed, and sender ID preservation is generally upheld, which helps businesses be more identifiable.
Concatenated messages are supported, following standard length limits (160 characters for GSM-7, 70 for UCS-2). Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, affecting how messages are split and rejoined.
Support opt-out keywords like STOP, ARRET, and RETE in French and Haitian Creole. Responses should be immediate and free. Maintain your own suppression list and honor requests within 24 hours, keeping records for compliance.
Avoid political, religious, gambling, adult content, cryptocurrency promotions, and unsolicited marketing messages. Carrier filtering blocks messages with restricted keywords and scrutinizes URLs, so use clear language and avoid URL shorteners when possible.
Keep messages concise, include clear calls to action, identify your business, personalize thoughtfully, limit frequency, consider local events, localize content, manage opt-outs effectively, and test thoroughly across Digicel and Natcom.
Popular providers like Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, and Plivo offer SMS API integrations for Haiti. Each requires specific credentials and provides documentation for setup and usage.
Default rate limits vary by provider. Implement exponential backoff for retries, use queue systems (Redis, RabbitMQ) for high volume, and batch messages to optimize throughput and avoid exceeding limits.
Sending SMS to landlines in Haiti is not supported. Attempts will result in a 400 response error (code 21614), no message logging, and no charges.
Obtain explicit opt-in consent, document consent collection, support HELP/STOP commands, maintain suppression lists, respect time zones, and follow content restrictions. Consult CONATEL's resources for updated guidelines.
While short codes are unavailable, alphanumeric sender IDs and international long codes are supported. Alphanumeric IDs offer branding opportunities, while long codes are ideal for transactional messages and alerts.
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Haiti SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Haiti SMS Market Overview
Market Conditions: Haiti's mobile market is dominated by two major operators: Digicel and Natcom. SMS remains a critical communication channel due to limited smartphone penetration and internet connectivity challenges. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are gaining popularity in urban areas, traditional SMS maintains widespread usage for both personal and business communications, especially in rural regions where network infrastructure is less developed.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Haiti
Haiti supports basic SMS functionality with some limitations on advanced features, primarily offering one-way messaging capabilities with support for concatenated messages and alphanumeric sender IDs.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Haiti for A2P (Application-to-Person) messaging.
Messages can only be sent one-way from applications to end users.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is supported for most sender ID types.
Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, 70 characters for UCS-2 encoding.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with message splitting and rejoining varying based on the character encoding used.
MMS Support
MMS messages are not directly supported in Haiti. When MMS content is sent, it is automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content.
Best Practice: When sending multimedia content, ensure the URL is shortened and clearly labeled for recipient trust.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Haiti.
This means phone numbers remain tied to their original mobile operator, simplifying message routing and delivery.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in Haiti.
Attempts to send SMS to landline numbers will result in a 400 response error (code 21614), the message will not be logged, and no charges will be incurred.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Haiti
Haiti's telecommunications sector is regulated by CONATEL (Conseil National des T??l??communications). While specific SMS marketing regulations are still evolving, businesses must follow general telecommunications guidelines and international best practices for messaging.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Required: You must obtain and document clear opt-in consent before sending marketing or promotional messages.
Best Practices for Consent:
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Haiti does not maintain an official Do Not Call registry. However, businesses should:
Time Zone Sensitivity
Haiti observes Eastern Time (ET/UTC-4) year-round. Best practices include:
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Haiti
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Partially supported
Registration requirements: No pre-registration required, dynamic usage supported
Sender ID preservation: Yes, except for Operator Natcom (37203) where alphanumeric IDs are not supported
Note: Generic sender IDs (INFO, SMS, NOTICE) are prohibited
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Provisioning time: Immediate activation for international long codes
Use cases: Ideal for transactional messages, alerts, and notifications
Short Codes
Support: Not currently available in Haiti
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Prohibited Content:
Content Filtering
Carrier Filtering Rules:
Tips to Avoid Blocking:
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Haiti
Messaging Strategy
Sending Frequency and Timing
Localization
Opt-Out Management
Testing and Monitoring
SMS API integrations for Haiti
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Haiti. Integration requires your Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Console.
Sinch
Sinch offers direct carrier connections in Haiti. Their API requires an API Token and Service Plan ID.
MessageBird
MessageBird provides reliable SMS delivery to Haiti with straightforward API integration.
Plivo
Plivo offers reliable SMS delivery to Haiti with good delivery rates and tracking capabilities.
API Rate Limits and Throughput
Error Handling and Reporting
Recap and Additional Resources
Key Takeaways:
Next Steps:
Additional Resources:
Technical Documentation: