Frequently Asked Questions
Use a registered alphanumeric sender ID and send messages between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM local time. Ensure your content complies with regulations and includes opt-out instructions in Turkish like 'IPTAL', 'DUR', or 'YARDIM'. You'll need to integrate with an SMS API like Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, or Plivo, providing clear opt-out instructions.
Alphanumeric sender IDs are recommended. They preserve your brand identity and are supported in Turkey, but require pre-registration which takes about two weeks. Avoid long codes and short codes as they aren't fully supported for commercial messaging.
Two-way SMS for business messaging (A2P) is not supported in Turkey due to regulatory restrictions. Businesses cannot receive replies to their SMS messages through standard channels.
Send messages between 08:00 and 21:00 local time (UTC+3), avoiding national holidays. Respect religious observances, particularly during Ramadan, and space out bulk campaigns to prevent network congestion.
No, promotional SMS messages are strictly prohibited in Turkey as of February 15, 2021. Focus on transactional messages and ensure explicit consent (opt-in) for all commercial communications.
Standard SMS messages are limited to 160 characters with GSM-7 encoding. Using UCS-2 for Turkish characters reduces the limit to 70 characters per segment. Concatenated messages are supported for longer content.
Explicit consent (opt-in), registration with the ??YS system, and adherence to strict content regulations are mandatory. Messages must include opt-out keywords ('IPTAL', 'DUR', 'YARDIM'), respect permitted sending hours, and avoid prohibited content.
Provide clear opt-out instructions in every message using keywords like 'IPTAL', 'DUR', or 'YARDIM'. Process opt-outs within 24 hours and maintain detailed records for at least three years. Regular audits of your opt-out lists are recommended.
Non-compliant SMS can lead to message blocking and financial penalties enforced by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK). This includes sending promotional messages, violating opt-out regulations, or sending outside permitted hours.
Use batch APIs, queue systems like Redis/RabbitMQ, and implement exponential backoff for retries. Monitor throughput and adjust sending rates dynamically to comply with API rate limits.
The ??YS (Message Management System) is a national database for managing commercial electronic messages. Businesses must register with ??YS before sending commercial SMS, check recipient numbers against it, and remove opted-out numbers promptly.
Popular options include Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, and Plivo. These platforms provide REST APIs for integrating SMS functionality into your applications, offering varying features and pricing.
Implement robust error handling and logging. Monitor delivery receipts through webhooks and track common error codes like 21614 (invalid number), 30007 (carrier rejection), and 30008 (blocked content). Store message status updates in a database.
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Turkey SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Turkey SMS Market Overview
Market Conditions: Turkey has a highly mobile-first market with widespread SMS usage for business communications and authentication. Major mobile operators include Turkcell, Vodafone, and T??rk Telekom. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are popular for personal communications, SMS remains crucial for business messaging and verification purposes due to its reliability and universal reach. Android devices dominate the market with approximately 80% market share, while iOS devices account for roughly 20%.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Turkey
Turkey offers robust SMS capabilities with support for concatenated messages and Unicode, though two-way messaging is not supported and promotional content faces strict regulations.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Turkey for business messaging. This means businesses cannot receive replies to their SMS messages through standard A2P channels.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is supported for most sender ID types, though support may vary by carrier.
Message length rules: Standard SMS messages are limited to 160 characters using GSM-7 encoding. Messages exceeding this limit are automatically split into segments.
Encoding considerations: GSM-7 encoding allows 160 characters per message, while UCS-2 (used for Turkish special characters) reduces the limit to 70 characters per segment.
MMS Support
MMS messages are not directly supported in Turkey. When attempting to send an MMS, the message will be automatically converted to an SMS containing a URL link to the media content. This ensures message delivery while maintaining compliance with local regulations.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is available in Turkey. Recipients can keep their phone numbers when switching between mobile operators.
This feature does not significantly impact message delivery or routing as the SMS infrastructure handles ported numbers automatically.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in Turkey. Attempts to send SMS to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614 for Twilio API). The message will not be logged or charged to your account.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Turkey
SMS communications in Turkey are regulated by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK). As of February 15, 2021, promotional traffic is strictly prohibited and may result in blocking of messages and financial penalties. All commercial SMS must comply with Turkish Electronic Communications Law No. 5809.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit consent is mandatory before sending any commercial messages in Turkey. Best practices for consent management include:
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Turkey maintains the ??YS (Message Management System), a national commercial electronic message management system. Businesses must:
Time Zone Sensitivity
Turkey observes strict timing regulations for commercial SMS:
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Turkey
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported
Registration requirements: Pre-registration required, takes approximately 2 weeks
Sender ID preservation: Yes, when properly registered
Restrictions: Must contain legitimate business name, no generic terms allowed
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Sender ID preservation: No, international long codes may be modified Provisioning time: N/A Use cases: Not recommended for commercial messaging in Turkey
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Turkey Provisioning time: N/A Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
The following content types and industries face strict restrictions:
Content Filtering
Turkish carriers implement strict filtering rules:
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Turkey
Messaging Strategy
Sending Frequency and Timing
Localization
Opt-Out Management
Testing and Monitoring
SMS API integrations for Turkey
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust REST API for sending SMS to Turkey. Authentication requires your Account SID and Auth Token.
Sinch
Sinch offers a REST API with OAuth2 authentication for secure SMS delivery to Turkey.
MessageBird
MessageBird provides a straightforward API for sending SMS to Turkey with detailed delivery reporting.
Plivo
Plivo offers a feature-rich API with support for Turkish character sets and delivery tracking.
API Rate Limits and Throughput
Strategies for Large-Scale Sending:
Error Handling and Reporting
Recap and Additional Resources
Key Takeaways:
Next Steps:
Additional Information: