Frequently Asked Questions
Use an SMS API like Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, or Plivo. Ensure the recipient's number starts with +211, use a pre-registered alphanumeric sender ID, and keep the message content within standard SMS length limits.
The Mobile Country Code (MCC) for South Sudan is 659. This code is used in conjunction with the Mobile Network Code (MNC) to identify mobile network operators within the country.
South Sudan's telecommunications infrastructure primarily supports one-way A2P SMS. Businesses should design their messaging strategies around one-way communication, as recipients cannot reply to messages.
The best time to send SMS messages in South Sudan is between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time (UTC+3). Avoid sending during major religious holidays and national observances.
No, short codes are not currently supported in South Sudan. Use international long codes for transactional messaging and two-factor authentication. Domestic long codes are not available.
South Sudan restricts content such as P2P traffic, adult content, religious content, political content, illegal activities, and gambling-related content. Content filtering is applied, especially by MTN.
Pre-registration is mandatory for alphanumeric sender IDs, especially for the MTN network. Generic sender IDs are discouraged and may be blocked. Consult the documentation for your chosen SMS API provider for registration details.
Concatenated (segmented) SMS is not supported. Keep messages within the standard SMS character limit (160 for GSM-7, 70 for UCS-2) to ensure successful delivery.
While South Sudan has no official Do Not Call registry, best practice is to honor and process opt-out requests immediately. Maintain your own suppression list and ensure opted-out numbers are not contacted again.
Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encoding are supported. UCS-2 is particularly important for sending messages in local languages with extended character sets.
MMS is not directly supported. When sent, MMS messages are converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content.
No, number portability is not available. Mobile numbers are tied to the original network operator.
Sending SMS to landlines is not possible and will result in delivery failure. APIs will typically return a 400 error response (code 21614) and you won't be charged.
Support both English and Arabic where possible. Consider local dialects, use appropriate date/time formats, and respect cultural sensitivities in message content.
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South Sudan SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
South Sudan SMS Market Overview
Market Conditions: South Sudan's mobile telecommunications market is developing, with MTN being a dominant mobile operator. SMS remains a crucial communication channel due to limited smartphone penetration and internet connectivity. The market primarily relies on basic feature phones, making SMS a vital communication tool for businesses and organizations reaching local populations.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in South Sudan
South Sudan offers basic SMS capabilities with some limitations on advanced features, focusing primarily on one-way messaging with pre-registered sender IDs.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in South Sudan. Businesses should design their messaging strategies around one-way communications only, as recipients cannot reply to messages sent through A2P channels.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Concatenated messaging is not supported in South Sudan.
Message length rules: Messages should be kept within standard SMS length limits to ensure delivery.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encoding are supported, with UCS-2 being particularly important for local language support.
MMS Support
MMS messages are not directly supported in South Sudan. When MMS content is sent, it is automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content. This conversion ensures message delivery while providing access to rich media content through web links.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in South Sudan. This means mobile numbers remain tied to their original network operators, simplifying message routing but limiting consumer flexibility.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in South Sudan. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in delivery failures, with APIs typically returning a 400 response with 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 South Sudan
South Sudan's SMS regulations focus primarily on content restrictions and sender identification requirements. While specific telecommunications laws are still developing, operators enforce their own guidelines to maintain network integrity and user protection.
Consent and Opt-In
Best Practices for Consent:
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
While there are no strict regulatory requirements for HELP/STOP commands in South Sudan, implementing these features is considered best practice:
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
South Sudan does not currently maintain an official Do Not Call or Do Not Disturb registry. However, businesses should:
Time Zone Sensitivity
While no specific time restrictions exist in South Sudan, follow these best practices:
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for South Sudan
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported with pre-registration required
Registration requirements: Pre-registration mandatory, particularly for MTN network
Sender ID preservation: Yes, preserved when properly registered
Additional considerations: Generic sender IDs (like InfoSMS, INFO, Verify) are discouraged and may be blocked
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International: International long codes supported; domestic not available
Sender ID preservation: No preservation for international numbers
Provisioning time: Immediate for international numbers
Use cases: Suitable for transactional messaging and two-factor authentication
Short Codes
Support: Not currently available in South Sudan
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Prohibited Content:
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Filtering Rules:
Best Practices to Avoid Blocking:
Best Practices for Sending SMS in South Sudan
Messaging Strategy
Sending Frequency and Timing
Localization
Opt-Out Management
Testing and Monitoring
SMS API integrations for South Sudan
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API that supports messaging to South Sudan. Here's how to implement it:
Sinch
Sinch offers comprehensive SMS capabilities for South Sudan with support for pre-registered sender IDs:
MessageBird
MessageBird provides reliable SMS delivery to South Sudan with detailed delivery reporting:
Plivo
Plivo offers SMS capabilities with good coverage in South Sudan:
API Rate Limits and Throughput
Strategies for Large-Scale Sending:
Error Handling and Reporting
Recap and Additional Resources
Key Takeaways:
Next Steps:
Additional Information:
Technical Resources: