Frequently Asked Questions
The Netherlands operates under GDPR and the Dutch Telecommunications Act, overseen by the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM). Businesses must obtain explicit consent for marketing messages, honor opt-out requests within 24 hours, and adhere to strict data privacy regulations. Double opt-in is recommended, and records of consent must be maintained.
Several APIs like Twilio, Sinch, and MessageBird offer SMS services in the Netherlands. You'll need an account and to adhere to specific formatting for Dutch phone numbers (+31). Remember to comply with regulations like obtaining consent and respecting quiet hours (21:00-08:00 CET).
Keywords like STOP/STOPPEN, HELP/HULP, and INFO must be supported in both Dutch and English. These commands need to be processed within 24 hours, and confirmation messages should be sent in the language of the received command.
SMS to landline numbers isn't supported, resulting in delivery failure and a 400 API response with error code 21614. Such messages won't be logged or charged. The Netherlands has high mobile penetration, making landline SMS impractical.
Permitted sending hours are 08:00-21:00 CET. Emergency notifications are exempt. Avoid sending messages during major Dutch holidays and weekends. Consider using automated delivery windows to respect these times.
Alphanumeric sender IDs and long codes are fully supported. Short codes are not supported; use long codes or alphanumeric sender IDs instead. For A2P messaging, a +3197 prefix number is required.
Process opt-outs immediately and send confirmation messages. Maintain a centralized suppression list and regularly audit opt-out processes. Be sure to document opt-out dates and methods for compliance.
The standard limit is 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 for UCS-2, which handles special characters. Concatenation is supported for longer messages, splitting them into segments.
No, short codes are not currently supported. Utilize long codes or alphanumeric sender IDs for your messaging needs in the Netherlands.
Keep messages concise, include a clear call to action, personalize when possible, and maintain a consistent brand voice. Track engagement metrics and conduct A/B testing to optimize your messaging strategy.
Implement strategies like exponential backoff for retries, use queue systems for high volume, batch messages, and monitor rate limit headers provided by the API.
Gambling (unless licensed), adult content, unauthorized financial services, prescription medications, and political messaging without proper disclosures are restricted.
Use consistent sender IDs, avoid URL shorteners, include clear opt-out instructions, and maintain regular sending patterns. Keep content professional and relevant to the recipient.
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Netherlands SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Netherlands SMS Market Overview
Market Conditions: The Netherlands has a highly developed mobile market with near-universal smartphone penetration. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are extremely popular for P2P communications, SMS remains critical for business messaging, particularly for authentication, notifications, and marketing. The market is dominated by three major operators: KPN, VodafoneZiggo, and T-Mobile Netherlands, with a strong infrastructure supporting both consumer and A2P messaging needs.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Netherlands
The Netherlands offers comprehensive SMS capabilities including two-way messaging, concatenation support, and number portability, while maintaining strict compliance requirements for business messaging.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is fully supported in the Netherlands, allowing businesses to engage in interactive messaging with customers. No special restrictions apply beyond standard compliance requirements, making it ideal for customer service and engagement use cases.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is fully supported across all major carriers.
Message length rules: Standard 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, 70 characters for UCS-2 encoding before splitting occurs.
Encoding considerations: GSM-7 is supported for standard Latin characters, while UCS-2 is available for messages containing special characters or non-Latin alphabets.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link to the media content. This ensures reliable delivery while maintaining the ability to share rich media content with recipients.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is fully available in the Netherlands, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching carriers. This feature is well-established and doesn't significantly impact message delivery or routing.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in the Netherlands. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in delivery failure, and the API will return a 400 response with error code 21614. These messages won't appear in logs and won't incur charges.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Netherlands
The Netherlands operates under both GDPR and the Dutch Telecommunications Act, overseen by the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM). Businesses must comply with strict regulations regarding data privacy, consent management, and marketing communications.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Time Zone Sensitivity
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Netherlands
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Fully supported
Registration requirements: No pre-registration required, dynamic usage allowed
Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved across all major networks
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International: Both supported with full functionality
Sender ID preservation: Yes, original sender ID maintained
Provisioning time: Immediate to 24 hours
Use cases:
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in the Netherlands
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A - Use long codes or alphanumeric sender IDs instead
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Restricted Industries and Content:
Content Filtering
Carrier Filtering Rules:
Best Practices to Avoid Blocking:
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Netherlands
Messaging Strategy
Sending Frequency and Timing
Localization
Opt-Out Management
Testing and Monitoring
SMS API integrations for Netherlands
Twilio
Twilio provides robust SMS capabilities for the Netherlands through their REST API. Authentication uses account SID and auth token, with support for +3197 prefix numbers required for A2P messaging.
Sinch
Sinch offers comprehensive SMS services with RESTful API access. Their service supports both transactional and marketing messages in the Netherlands.
MessageBird
MessageBird (formerly referred to as Bird) provides SMS API services with strong support for Dutch telecommunications requirements.
API Rate Limits and Throughput
Throughput Management Strategies:
Error Handling and Reporting
Recap and Additional Resources
Key Takeaways
Compliance First
Technical Requirements
Best Practices
Next Steps
Additional Resources