Frequently Asked Questions
Use a registered SMS API provider like Twilio, Sinch, or Bird, ensuring your sender ID is pre-registered with Nepal Telecom or Ncell. Format recipient numbers in E.164 format (+977...) and comply with content and sending regulations.
Nepal's mobile market is dominated by Nepal Telecom and Ncell. While OTT apps are popular, SMS remains crucial for reaching wider audiences, especially in rural areas with limited internet access.
Due to current regulations and technical infrastructure limitations, two-way SMS is not supported. Businesses should focus on one-way communication strategies.
Adhere to Nepal's time zone (UTC+5:45) and send messages between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. Avoid sending during major holidays and festivals unless it's urgent, like OTP messages.
No, explicit consent is required before sending marketing or promotional messages in Nepal. Maintain records of consent and offer clear opt-out instructions in both English and Nepali.
Nepal supports concatenated SMS with standard length limits (160 characters for GSM-7, 70 for UCS-2). Both encodings are supported, but UCS-2 is recommended for Nepali script.
Pre-registration is required for alphanumeric sender IDs with both Nepal Telecom and Ncell. This involves submitting documentation and business verification.
Honor opt-out requests (STOP, BAND, HELP, SAHAYOG, CANCEL, RADDA) within 24 hours. Maintain a suppression list and ensure opted-out numbers are not contacted again.
Gambling, adult content, unauthorized financial services, political messaging without authorization, and social invites are restricted. Content filtering is implemented by carriers.
Initialize the Twilio client with your credentials, format the recipient number in E.164 format, and use the client's messages.create method with your message and pre-registered sender ID.
Carriers implement limits of roughly 10-20 messages per second per sender ID, with daily and concurrent request limits varying. Use queuing and backoff strategies for large-scale sending.
Use the E.164 format, which includes the country code +977 followed by the 9-digit mobile number. Ensure the number starts with +977 to avoid delivery failures.
Twilio, Sinch, and Bird offer SMS APIs with features like pre-registered sender ID support, delivery reporting, and handling of Nepali script.
MMS is not directly supported. Attempts to send MMS will result in conversion to SMS with a URL link to the multimedia content for device compatibility.
Loading...
Nepal SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Nepal SMS Market Overview
Market Conditions: Nepal's mobile market is dominated by two major operators - Nepal Telecom (Namaste) and Ncell, with a growing penetration of smartphones and increasing reliance on SMS for business communications and notifications. While OTT messaging apps like Viber and WhatsApp are popular in urban areas, SMS remains crucial for reaching the broader population, especially in rural regions where internet connectivity may be limited. Android devices significantly outnumber iOS devices in the market, reflecting broader Asian market trends.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Nepal
Nepal supports basic SMS functionality with some limitations on sender IDs and requires pre-registration for most messaging services, while offering support for concatenated messages and various encoding options.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Nepal according to current regulations and technical infrastructure. Businesses should plan their messaging strategies around one-way communication only.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is supported, though availability may vary based on sender ID type.
Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 characters for UCS-2 encoding before splitting occurs.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with UCS-2 recommended for messages containing Nepali characters or other non-Latin scripts.
MMS Support
MMS messages are not directly supported in Nepal. When attempting to send MMS, the message will be automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content. This ensures message delivery while maintaining compatibility with all devices.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Nepal. Mobile numbers remain tied to their original network operators, which simplifies message routing but means customers cannot keep their numbers when changing providers.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in Nepal. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and may trigger a 400 response error (error code 21614) from messaging APIs. These messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged for failed attempts.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Nepal
Nepal's telecommunications sector is regulated by the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), which oversees SMS marketing and communications. While specific SMS marketing laws are still evolving, businesses must adhere to general telecommunications guidelines and international best practices for message sending.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Required: You must obtain and document clear, explicit consent from recipients before sending any marketing or promotional messages. Best practices include:
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
All SMS campaigns must support standard opt-out commands in both English and Nepali:
Messages should include clear opt-out instructions, preferably in both English and Nepali languages.
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Nepal currently does not maintain an official DND registry. However, businesses should:
Time Zone Sensitivity
Nepal operates in a single time zone (UTC+5:45). Best practices for message timing include:
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Nepal
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported with pre-registration
Registration requirements: Pre-registration required for both Ncell and Nepal Telecom networks. Documentation and business verification needed.
Sender ID preservation: Yes, for pre-registered IDs; unregistered IDs will be overwritten with generic alphanumeric sender ID
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International: Domestic long codes not supported; international long codes supported but with limitations
Sender ID preservation: No, numeric sender IDs are typically overwritten
Provisioning time: N/A for domestic, immediate for international
Use cases: Not recommended for primary messaging; better to use pre-registered alphanumeric sender IDs
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Nepal
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
The following content types and industries face restrictions:
Content Filtering
Known carrier filtering rules:
Tips to avoid blocking:
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Nepal
Messaging Strategy
Sending Frequency and Timing
Localization
Opt-Out Management
Testing and Monitoring
SMS API integrations for Nepal
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API with specific support for Nepal's messaging requirements. Authentication uses account SID and auth token, with region-specific endpoints available.
Sinch
Sinch offers comprehensive SMS capabilities for Nepal with support for pre-registered sender IDs and delivery reporting.
Bird
Bird's API provides streamlined SMS functionality for Nepal with support for both English and Nepali text.
API Rate Limits and Throughput
Nepal's carriers implement various rate limits:
Strategies for Large-Scale Sending:
Error Handling and Reporting
Common Error Scenarios:
Logging Best Practices:
Recap and Additional Resources
Key Takeaways
Compliance Priorities:
Technical Considerations:
Best Practices:
Next Steps
Technical Setup:
Compliance:
Testing:
Additional Resources
Industry Resources: