Frequently Asked Questions
Use a reputable SMS API provider like Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, or Plivo. Ensure the recipient's number is in E.164 format (+7) and use a registered alphanumeric sender ID. Comply with Russian regulations, including obtaining consent and respecting time zones.
Russia has high SMS adoption rates, with major operators like MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, and Tele2 dominating the market. While OTT apps are popular, SMS remains crucial for business messaging, particularly for authentication and notifications.
Two-way SMS is not supported through standard A2P messaging channels in Russia. Businesses must use alternative communication methods for receiving customer responses.
Send messages between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM local time. Russia spans 11 time zones, so schedule messages according to the recipient's local time. Emergency notifications are an exception.
No, short codes are not currently supported for SMS messaging in Russia. Neither are domestic or international long codes. Alphanumeric sender IDs are required and must be pre-registered.
Standard SMS messages use GSM-7 encoding with 160 characters per segment. When using UCS-2 for Cyrillic characters, the limit is 70 characters per segment. Concatenated messages are supported for longer content.
Obtain explicit consent before sending marketing messages, respect quiet hours (9 PM to 9 AM local time), and provide clear opt-out instructions in Russian, including STOP, HELP, and UNSUBSCRIBE keywords.
Penalties for sending SMS messages without valid consent can reach up to 500,000 RUB per message. Ensure you maintain proper documentation of consent, including timestamp, source, and scope.
Gambling, alcohol, tobacco, adult content, unauthorized pharmaceuticals, and political campaigns are restricted. Content filtering is enforced, so avoid URL shorteners and ensure content aligns with your registered business profile.
Roskomnadzor, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, oversees SMS regulations in Russia. They manage the Do Not Disturb registry and enforce compliance with Federal Law No. 126-FZ "On Communications".
Process opt-out requests within 24 hours, maintain a centralized opt-out database, provide clear opt-out instructions in Russian, and confirm the opt-out via a confirmation message.
Localize content in Russian, keep messages concise, include a clear call-to-action, personalize content when possible, and limit sending frequency to 2-3 messages per week per recipient.
Alphanumeric sender IDs require pre-registration and are not dynamically allocated. Note that support for registered alphanumeric sender IDs will be discontinued after July 2024 for new registrations.
Standard rate limits are around 30 messages per second, with burst limits up to 100 messages per minute. Daily quotas vary by provider and account type.
Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, and Plivo offer SMS API integrations for sending messages to Russia. They provide features like delivery reports, alphanumeric sender ID support, and high-volume messaging capabilities.
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Russia SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Russia SMS Market Overview
Market Conditions: Russia has a robust mobile messaging ecosystem with high SMS adoption rates. The market is dominated by major operators including MTS, MegaFon, VEON (Beeline), and Tele2. While OTT messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp are popular for personal communications, SMS remains critical for business messaging, particularly for authentication, notifications, and marketing. Android devices hold approximately 70% market share compared to iOS at around 30%, influencing messaging capabilities and user experience.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Russia
Russia supports standard SMS messaging features with some restrictions on sender IDs and specific compliance requirements for business messaging.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Russia through standard A2P messaging channels. Businesses must use alternative communication methods for receiving customer responses.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenated messaging is supported, though availability may vary by sender ID type.
Message length rules: Standard 160 characters per message segment using GSM-7 encoding.
Encoding considerations: Messages support both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encoding. When using UCS-2 for Cyrillic characters, the message length is limited to 70 characters per segment.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This ensures compatibility across all devices while still allowing rich media content to be shared through a web-based experience.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is available in Russia. This feature allows users to keep their phone numbers when switching between mobile operators, with minimal impact on SMS delivery or routing.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Russia. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614) from the messaging API.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Russia
Russia maintains strict regulations for SMS communications, overseen by the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications (Roskomnadzor) and the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media (Minkomsvyaz). Businesses must comply with Federal Law No. 126-FZ "On Communications" and data protection regulations.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Russia maintains a national Do Not Disturb registry managed by Roskomnadzor. Best practices include:
Time Zone Sensitivity
Russia spans 11 time zones, requiring careful message timing:
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Russia
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported with restrictions
Registration requirements: Pre-registration required; no dynamic usage allowed
Sender ID preservation: Preserved only for registered IDs before July 2024
Note: Support will be discontinued after July 2024 for new registrations
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International: Neither domestic nor international long codes are supported
Sender ID preservation: N/A
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: Not available for messaging in Russia
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Russia
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Prohibited Content and Industries:
Content Filtering
Carrier Filtering Rules:
Best Practices to Avoid Blocking:
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Russia
Messaging Strategy
Sending Frequency and Timing
Localization
Opt-Out Management
Testing and Monitoring
SMS API integrations for Russia
Twilio
Twilio provides robust SMS capabilities for sending messages to Russia through their REST API. Authentication requires your Account SID and Auth Token.
Sinch
Sinch offers direct carrier connections in Russia with support for alphanumeric sender IDs. Their REST API requires API Token authentication.
MessageBird
MessageBird provides SMS services for Russia with support for message status tracking and delivery reports.
Plivo
Plivo offers SMS capabilities for Russia with support for high-volume messaging and detailed delivery tracking.
API Rate Limits and Throughput
Strategies for Large-Scale Sending:
Error Handling and Reporting
Recap and Additional Resources
Key Takeaways
Next Steps
Review Regulations
Legal Consultation
Technical Setup
Additional Resources