Uganda SMS Guide - sms-compliance -

Frequently Asked Questions

Use an SMS API provider like Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, or Plivo. Ensure your alphanumeric sender ID is pre-registered and format recipient numbers in E.164 format (+256XXXXXXXXX). Remember to comply with Uganda's regulations and best practices.
Utilize batch APIs and queue systems for high-volume messaging. Implement exponential backoff for retry logic to handle rate limits. Adhere to all compliance guidelines, including consent management and opt-out procedures.
Uganda supports concatenated messages (segmented SMS) and alphanumeric sender IDs. Two-way SMS is not supported, and MMS is converted to SMS with a URL link to the multimedia content. Number portability is not available.
Two-way SMS is not supported through major SMS providers, limiting interactive messaging campaigns and automated response systems. This restriction impacts developers building conversational applications via SMS.
Uganda's Mobile Country Code (MCC) is 641, and the dialing code is +256. Use these codes for accurate international SMS routing and number formatting in your applications.
Adhere to East Africa Time (EAT, UTC+3) and send messages between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time. Avoid sending during major religious observances, public holidays, and culturally sensitive periods.
Pre-registration is required, particularly for the MTN network. The process typically takes about three weeks and requires documentation proving your business's legitimacy. Sender ID preservation is ensured once registered.
No, sending SMS to landline numbers in Uganda is not supported. Attempts to do so will fail, and no charges will be incurred. You'll likely receive a 400 response with error code 21614 via SMS APIs.
Comply with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) regulations and the Data Protection and Privacy Act 2019. Obtain explicit opt-in consent before sending marketing messages and support opt-out keywords like STOP, CANCEL, END, and UNSUBSCRIBE.
Process opt-out requests immediately, within 24 hours, and send confirmation messages. Maintain centralized opt-out databases and regularly audit for compliance. Support keywords in both English and Swahili.
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible for single SMS using GSM-7 encoding. Longer messages will be segmented into multiple parts. For UCS-2 encoding, the limit is 70 characters per segment.
MMS is not directly supported; therefore, MMS content is converted to SMS with a URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content. This maintains compatibility across devices and networks.
Gambling, adult content, unauthorized financial services, political campaign messages without authorization, and cryptocurrency promotions are restricted. Financial services and healthcare messages require regulatory approval.
Avoid spam trigger words, use registered sender IDs, maintain consistent sending patterns, and ensure URLs are from approved and trusted domains. Be mindful of carrier-specific rules, particularly on the MTN network.
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