Romania SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Romania SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Romania has a mature mobile market with high SMS adoption rates. The market is dominated by three major operators: Orange (39% market share), Vodafone (30%), and Telekom Romania (17%). While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are popular for personal communication, SMS remains crucial for business messaging and authentication. Android devices hold approximately 75% market share, with iOS devices accounting for most of the remainder.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Romania

Romania offers robust SMS capabilities with support for concatenated messages and alphanumeric sender IDs, though two-way SMS functionality is limited and MMS messages are converted to SMS with URL links.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Romania through standard API providers. Businesses requiring two-way communication typically need to work directly with local carriers or use dedicated short codes with specific setup requirements.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenation is supported across most Romanian carriers, though support may vary based on sender ID type.
Message length rules: Standard GSM-7 encoding allows 160 characters per segment, while UCS-2 encoding allows 70 characters per segment.
Encoding considerations: Messages using GSM-7 encoding (standard Latin alphabet) can be up to 160 characters, while messages using UCS-2 encoding (supporting special characters and Unicode) are limited to 70 characters before splitting occurs.

MMS Support

MMS messages are not directly supported in Romania. Instead, MMS content is automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content. This ensures compatibility across all devices while maintaining message delivery reliability.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is available in Romania, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching carriers. This feature is fully supported and does not affect SMS delivery or routing, as the messaging infrastructure automatically handles ported numbers.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Romania. Attempts to send SMS to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery with a 400 response error (code 21614). These messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged for failed attempts.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Romania

SMS communications in Romania are regulated by ANCOM (National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications) and must comply with both local telecommunications laws and GDPR requirements. The Romanian Data Protection Authority (ANSPDCP) oversees data privacy compliance for SMS marketing.

Consent and Opt-In

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

• Collecting written or electronic consent with clear terms of use
• Maintaining detailed records of when and how consent was obtained
• Specifying the exact purpose and frequency of messages
• Providing clear information about how personal data will be used
• Allowing users to modify their preferences at any time

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• Required Keywords: STOP, DEZABONARE (unsubscribe), and AJUTOR (help) must be supported
• Language Requirements: Commands must be recognized in both Romanian and English
• Response Time: Acknowledgment messages must be sent within 24 hours
• Cost: Stop and help messages must be free for end users

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Romania does not maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry. However, businesses must:

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
• Document all opt-out requests for compliance purposes
• Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers

Time Zone Sensitivity

Romania observes Eastern European Time (EET/EEST). While there are no strict legal time restrictions for SMS sending, best practices include:

• Sending messages between 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time
• Avoiding messages on Sundays and national holidays
• Only sending urgent messages (like authentication codes) outside these hours

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Romania

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Partially supported
Registration requirements: Pre-registration required for Telekom Romania; optional but recommended for other networks
Sender ID preservation: Preserved for Telekom Romania; may be overwritten with generic short code for other carriers

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International: Domestic long codes not supported; international long codes supported
Sender ID preservation: No, international long codes may be overwritten
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: Not recommended due to limited support and sender ID preservation issues

Short Codes

Support: Available through local carriers
Provisioning time: 4-6 weeks
Use cases: Ideal for high-volume messaging, marketing campaigns, and two-factor authentication

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Restricted Industries and Content:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content or services
• Cryptocurrency and high-risk investments
• Prescription medications and certain healthcare services
• Political campaign messages without proper authorization

Content Filtering

Known Carrier Filtering Rules:

• URLs must be pre-registered and whitelisted
• Messages containing unregistered URLs may be blocked
• Excessive punctuation or special characters may trigger spam filters

Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:

• Register all URLs with carriers before use
• Use registered alphanumeric sender IDs
• Avoid URL shorteners unless specifically approved
• Keep message content clear and professional

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Romania

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear call-to-actions
• Personalize messages using recipient's name or relevant details
• Avoid excessive capitalization and special characters

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit marketing messages to 2-4 per month per recipient
• Space messages at least 24 hours apart
• Respect Romanian holidays and cultural events
• Monitor engagement rates to optimize sending times

Localization

• Primary language should be Romanian
• Consider bilingual messages (Romanian/English) for international businesses
• Use proper diacritical marks in Romanian text
• Ensure proper character encoding for special characters

Opt-Out Management

• Include clear opt-out instructions in every marketing message
• Process opt-outs within 24 hours
• Maintain detailed opt-out records
• Regularly audit opt-out lists for compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test messages across all major Romanian carriers
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics and adjust strategy accordingly
• Regularly test opt-out functionality

SMS API integrations for Romania

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Romanian SMS messaging. Authentication uses account SID and auth token credentials.

import { Twilio } from 'twilio';

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

async function sendSmsToRomania() {
  try {
    // Send message with registered alphanumeric sender ID
    const message = await client.messages.create({
      body: 'Mesajul dvs. a fost trimis cu succes!', // Your message in Romanian
      from: 'YourBrand', // Your registered alphanumeric sender ID
      to: '+40721234567', // Romanian number in E.164 format
      // Optional: Set statusCallback for delivery tracking
      statusCallback: 'https://your-webhook.com/status'
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${message.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers a REST API for SMS delivery to Romania, requiring API token authentication.

import axios from 'axios';

async function sendSinchSms() {
  const API_TOKEN = 'your_api_token';
  const SERVICE_PLAN_ID = 'your_service_plan_id';
  
  try {
    const response = await axios.post(
      `https://sms.api.sinch.com/xms/v1/${SERVICE_PLAN_ID}/batches`,
      {
        from: 'YourBrand', // Registered sender ID
        to: ['+40721234567'],
        body: 'Your message content',
        // Optional: Enable delivery reports
        delivery_report: 'summary'
      },
      {
        headers: {
          'Authorization': `Bearer ${API_TOKEN}`,
          'Content-Type': 'application/json'
        }
      }
    );
    
    console.log('Message sent:', response.data.id);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sending failed:', error.response?.data);
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides a straightforward API for sending SMS to Romania with support for delivery reporting.

import messagebird from 'messagebird';

const messageBirdClient = messagebird('YOUR_ACCESS_KEY');

function sendMessageBirdSms() {
  const params = {
    originator: 'YourBrand', // Registered sender ID
    recipients: ['+40721234567'],
    body: 'Your message content',
    // Optional parameters for delivery tracking
    reportUrl: 'https://your-webhook.com/status',
    type: 'flash' // For urgent messages
  };

  messageBirdClient.messages.create(params, (err, response) => {
    if (err) {
      console.error('Error:', err);
      return;
    }
    console.log('Message sent:', response.id);
  });
}

Plivo

Plivo's API offers reliable SMS delivery to Romania with detailed delivery tracking.

import plivo from 'plivo';

const client = new plivo.Client(
  'PLIVO_AUTH_ID',
  'PLIVO_AUTH_TOKEN'
);

async function sendPlivoSms() {
  try {
    const message = await client.messages.create({
      src: 'YourBrand', // Your registered sender ID
      dst: '40721234567', // Romanian number without '+' prefix
      text: 'Your message content',
      // Optional parameters
      url: 'https://your-webhook.com/status', // Delivery report URL
      method: 'POST' // Webhook method
    });
    
    console.log('Message sent:', message.messageUuid);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sending failed:', error);
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Rate Limits:

  • Standard rate limits vary by provider (typically 1-10 messages per second)
  • Enterprise accounts may receive higher limits
  • Consider implementing exponential backoff for retry logic

• Large-Scale Sending Strategies:

  typescript

  // Example batch sending implementation
  async function sendBatchMessages(numbers: string[], message: string) {
    const BATCH_SIZE = 50;
    const DELAY_MS = 1000;
    
    for (let i = 0; i < numbers.length; i += BATCH_SIZE) {
      const batch = numbers.slice(i_ i + BATCH_SIZE);
      await Promise.all(batch.map(number => sendSms(number, message)));
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, DELAY_MS));
    }
  }
  

Error Handling and Reporting

// Example error handling implementation
interface SmsError {
  code: string;
  message: string;
  timestamp: Date;
}

class SmsErrorHandler {
  private errors: SmsError[] = [];
  
  logError(error: any) {
    const smsError: SmsError = {
      code: error.code || 'UNKNOWN',
      message: error.message,
      timestamp: new Date()
    };
    
    this.errors.push(smsError);
    // Implement your logging logic here
    console.error(`SMS Error [${smsError.code}]:`, smsError.message);
  }
  
  async retryFailedMessages() {
    // Implement retry logic with exponential backoff
  }
}

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

1. Compliance Priorities:

   • Register alphanumeric sender IDs
   • Obtain explicit consent
   • Honor opt-out requests promptly
   • Maintain proper documentation

2. Technical Best Practices:

   • Use registered sender IDs
   • Implement proper error handling
   • Monitor delivery rates
   • Test across all carriers

3. Next Steps:

   • Review ANCOM regulations
   • Register sender IDs with carriers
   • Implement proper consent management
   • Set up delivery monitoring

Additional Resources

Official Resources:

• ANCOM (Romanian Telecom Regulator): www.ancom.ro
• Romanian Data Protection Authority: www.dataprotection.ro

Industry Guidelines:

• Mobile Operators Association of Romania: www.amo.ro
• European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) Guidelines

Technical Documentation:

• Twilio Romanian SMS Guidelines
• Sinch API Documentation
• MessageBird Integration Guide
• Plivo Developer Resources