Madagascar SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Madagascar SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Madagascar's mobile market is dominated by three major operators: Telma Mobile, Airtel, and Orange. SMS remains a crucial communication channel due to limited smartphone penetration and internet connectivity in rural areas. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are gaining popularity in urban centers, traditional SMS maintains strong usage patterns across the country, particularly for business communications and notifications.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Madagascar

Madagascar supports standard SMS features with some limitations on two-way messaging and specific requirements for sender IDs across different mobile networks.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Madagascar through major SMS providers. Businesses should design their messaging strategies around one-way communications.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenated messages are supported, though availability may vary by sender ID type.
Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, 70 characters for Unicode.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 (Unicode) encodings are supported, with UCS-2 particularly important for messages containing Malagasy special characters.

MMS Support

MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This conversion ensures message delivery while providing access to multimedia content through web links.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is not available in Madagascar. Phone numbers remain tied to their original mobile network operators.

Sending SMS to Landlines

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

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Madagascar

Madagascar's SMS communications are regulated under Interdepartmental Order number 2471/2016, which establishes guidelines for telecommunications services. The ARTEC (Autorit?? de R??gulation des Technologies de Communication) oversees telecommunications regulations and compliance.

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit Consent Requirements:

• Written or electronic consent must be obtained before sending marketing messages
• Documentation of consent must be maintained and readily available
• Consent records should include timestamp, source, and scope of permission
• Clear disclosure of message frequency and purpose at opt-in

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• All SMS campaigns must support standard STOP commands
• HELP and STOP keywords should be recognized in both French and Malagasy
• Common local variations include "ARRETER" (French) and "AJANONA" (Malagasy)
• Response to STOP commands must be immediate and confirmed

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Madagascar does not maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry. However, businesses should:

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
• Keep records of opted-out numbers for at least 12 months
• Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers

Time Zone Sensitivity

Madagascar follows strict time-based restrictions for SMS communications:

• Permitted Hours: 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Madagascar Time, UTC+3)
• Maximum Messages: No more than three SMS messages per recipient per day
• Exception: Emergency notifications and requested messages may be sent outside these hours

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Madagascar

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Supported across major networks
Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required
Sender ID preservation: Yes, but with network-specific exceptions:

• Telma Mobile may override certain sender IDs
• Generic terms like "InfoSMS" and "Verify" should be avoided

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International: International long codes supported; domestic availability limited
Sender ID preservation: Yes for international numbers
Provisioning time: Immediate for international numbers
Use cases:

• Transactional messaging
• Customer support
• Account notifications

Short Codes

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

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Restricted Industries and Content:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content or services
• Cryptocurrency promotions
• Unauthorized financial services
• Political messaging without proper authorization

Content Filtering

Known Carrier Filters:

• URLs from unknown domains may be blocked
• Messages containing certain keywords in French or Malagasy
• Multiple exclamation marks or all-caps text

Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:

• Use registered URL shorteners
• Avoid excessive punctuation
• Maintain consistent sender IDs
• Use clear, professional language

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Madagascar

Messaging Strategy

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

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Respect daily limit of 3 messages per recipient
• Consider Madagascar's business hours (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
• Avoid sending during major holidays like Independence Day (June 26)
• Space out messages to prevent recipient fatigue

Localization

• Support both French and Malagasy languages
• Consider regional dialects for different provinces
• Use appropriate date formats (DD/MM/YYYY)
• Account for cultural sensitivities in message content

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs within 24 hours
• Maintain clear opt-out records
• Include opt-out instructions in messages
• Regular audit of opt-out compliance

Testing and Monitoring

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

SMS API integrations for Madagascar

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Madagascar. Here's how to implement it:

import { Twilio } from 'twilio';

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

// Function to send SMS to Madagascar
async function sendSMSToMadagascar(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
) {
  try {
    // Ensure proper formatting for Madagascar numbers
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+261') 
      ? to 
      : `+261${to.replace(/^0/, '')}`;

    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: senderId, // Alphanumeric sender ID or Twilio number
      to: formattedNumber,
      // Optional parameters for delivery tracking
      statusCallback: 'https://your-webhook.com/status'
    });

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

Sinch

Sinch offers direct operator connections in Madagascar. Implementation example:

import { SinchClient } from '@sinch/sdk';

// Initialize Sinch client
const sinchClient = new SinchClient({
  servicePlanId: process.env.SINCH_SERVICE_PLAN_ID,
  apiToken: process.env.SINCH_API_TOKEN,
  region: 'africa-1' // Specify region for Madagascar
});

async function sendSinchSMS(
  recipientNumber: string,
  messageText: string
) {
  try {
    const response = await sinchClient.messages.send({
      from: 'YourBrand', // Alphanumeric sender ID
      to: [recipientNumber],
      body: messageText,
      delivery_report: 'summary' // Request delivery reports
    });

    console.log('Message batch ID:', response.id);
    return response;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sinch SMS error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides reliable SMS delivery in Madagascar:

import { MessageBird } from 'messagebird';

const messagebird = MessageBird(process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_API_KEY);

interface SMSResponse {
  id: string;
  status: string;
  recipients: {
    totalCount: number;
    totalSentCount: number;
  };
}

async function sendMessageBirdSMS(
  to: string,
  message: string
): Promise<SMSResponse&gt; {
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) =&gt; {
    messagebird.messages.create({
      originator: 'YourBrand',
      recipients: [to],
      body: message,
      datacoding: 'auto' // Automatic handling of special characters
    }, (err, response) =&gt; {
      if (err) {
        reject(err);
        return;
      }
      resolve(response);
    });
  });
}

Plivo

Plivo's API integration for Madagascar:

import { Client } from 'plivo';

const client = new Client(
  process.env.PLIVO_AUTH_ID,
  process.env.PLIVO_AUTH_TOKEN
);

async function sendPlivoSMS(
  destination: string,
  message: string
) {
  try {
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      src: 'YourBrand', // Your sender ID
      dst: destination,
      text: message,
      // Optional parameters
      url: 'https://your-webhook.com/status',
      method: 'POST'
    });

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

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Default rate limit: 30 messages per second
• Batch sending limit: 500 recipients per request
• Daily sending quota varies by provider and plan

Throughput Management Strategies:

• Implement exponential backoff for retry logic
• Use queue systems (Redis/RabbitMQ) for high volume
• Batch messages when possible
• Monitor delivery rates and adjust sending patterns

Error Handling and Reporting

• Implement comprehensive logging with Winston or similar
• Monitor delivery receipts via webhooks
• Track common error codes:
  • 4001: Invalid number format
  • 4002: Network not available
  • 4003: Message blocked
  • 4004: Rate limit exceeded

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways:

1. Always format numbers with +261 prefix
2. Respect time window restrictions (6 AM - 10 PM)
3. Implement proper opt-out handling
4. Monitor delivery rates by carrier

Next Steps:

1. Review ARTEC regulations at www.artec.mg
2. Implement proper error handling and monitoring
3. Test thoroughly with all major carriers
4. Set up delivery receipt webhooks

Additional Resources:

• ARTEC Guidelines: www.artec.mg/guidelines
• Madagascar Telecom Laws: www.mptdn.gov.mg
• Carrier Coverage Maps: www.telma.mg/coverage

Provider Documentation:

• Twilio Madagascar Guide
• Sinch API Documentation
• MessageBird API Reference
• Plivo SMS API Guide