Anguilla SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Anguilla SMS Market Overview

Locale name:	Anguilla
ISO code:	AI
Region	North America
Mobile country code (MCC)	365
Dialing Code	+1264

Market Conditions: Anguilla has a well-established mobile telecommunications infrastructure serving its population. While specific market share data isn't publicly available, mobile penetration is high with widespread SMS usage. The market supports both traditional SMS and OTT messaging apps, though SMS remains crucial for business communications and notifications due to its reliability and universal reach.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Anguilla

Anguilla supports standard SMS features including concatenated messaging and international SMS, though two-way messaging capabilities are limited.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Anguilla through major SMS providers. This means businesses cannot receive replies to their messages through standard SMS APIs.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenated messaging is fully supported in Anguilla.
Message length rules: Standard SMS length of 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, or 70 characters for Unicode (UCS-2) messages.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported. Messages using GSM-7 can contain up to 160 characters before splitting, while UCS-2 messages split at 70 characters.

MMS Support

MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This means that when sending multimedia content, recipients receive a text message containing a link to view the media content online.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability information for Anguilla is not publicly documented. It's recommended to validate numbers before sending and maintain updated contact lists.

Sending SMS to Landlines

SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Anguilla. Attempts to send SMS to landline numbers will result in delivery failure, typically with a 400 response error (code 21614) from SMS APIs, and no charges will be incurred.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Anguilla

While Anguilla follows general telecommunications regulations under the Telecommunications Act, specific SMS marketing regulations are not extensively detailed. Businesses should adhere to international best practices and general data protection principles to ensure compliance.

Best Practices for Obtaining Consent:

Collect explicit opt-in consent before sending any marketing messages
Maintain clear records of when and how consent was obtained
Include clear terms and conditions during the opt-in process
Specify the types of messages recipients will receive
Document the source and date of consent acquisition

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

Support standard opt-out keywords: STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, and QUIT
Implement HELP keyword responses with service information
Process opt-out requests immediately
Send confirmation messages for both HELP and STOP requests
Use English for keyword responses as it's the primary language in Anguilla

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Anguilla does not maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry. However, businesses should:

Maintain their own suppression lists
Honor opt-out requests immediately
Keep records of opted-out numbers
Regularly clean contact lists
Implement proper opt-out management systems

Time Zone Sensitivity

Anguilla follows Atlantic Standard Time (AST/UTC-4). Best practices include:

Send messages between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time
Avoid sending during holidays and weekends unless urgent
Consider seasonal timing for marketing campaigns
Respect quiet hours for non-essential messages

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Anguilla

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Supported
Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required
Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved as sent

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International:

Domestic long codes not supported
International long codes fully supported

Sender ID preservation: Yes, original sender ID is preserved
Provisioning time: Immediate for international long codes
Use cases: Ideal for transactional messages and two-factor authentication

Short Codes

Support: Not supported in Anguilla
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Restricted Content Types:

Gambling and betting services
Adult content
Cryptocurrency promotions
Unauthorized financial services
Misleading or fraudulent content

Content Filtering

Known Filtering Rules:

Messages containing certain keywords may be blocked
URLs from suspicious domains are filtered
High-volume identical messages may be flagged

Best Practices to Avoid Blocking:

Avoid spam trigger words
Use approved URL shorteners
Vary message content for bulk sends
Maintain consistent sending patterns

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Anguilla

Messaging Strategy

Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear calls to action
Use personalization tokens thoughtfully
Maintain consistent brand voice
Include business name in message

Sending Frequency and Timing

Limit to 2-4 messages per month per recipient
Space out campaign sends
Avoid sending during local holidays
Monitor engagement metrics to optimize timing

Localization

Use English as the primary language
Keep content culturally appropriate
Consider local context and references
Use local date and time formats

Opt-Out Management

Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Send opt-out confirmation messages
Maintain accurate opt-out records
Regular audit of opt-out lists
Train staff on opt-out procedures

Testing and Monitoring

Test messages across major local carriers
Monitor delivery rates closely
Track engagement metrics
Regular testing of opt-out functionality
Monitor for delivery issues or blocks

SMS API integrations for Anguilla

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API for sending messages to Anguilla. Here's how to implement it:

import { Twilio } from 'twilio';

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

// Function to send SMS to Anguilla
async function sendSMSToAnguilla(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  from: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    // Ensure number is in E.164 format for Anguilla (+1264)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+1264') ? to : `+1264${to}`;
    
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      to: formattedNumber,
      from: from, // Your Twilio number or approved sender ID
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers SMS capabilities with straightforward integration:

import { SinchClient } from '@sinch/sdk-core';

// Initialize Sinch client
const sinchClient = new SinchClient({
  projectId: process.env.SINCH_PROJECT_ID,
  keyId: process.env.SINCH_KEY_ID,
  keySecret: process.env.SINCH_KEY_SECRET
});

// Function to send SMS via Sinch
async function sendSinchSMS(
  to: string,
  message: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    const response = await sinchClient.sms.batches.send({
      sendSMSRequestBody: {
        to: [to], // Array of recipient numbers
        from: "YourCompany", // Alphanumeric sender ID
        body: message
      }
    });
    
    console.log('Message sent:', response);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sinch SMS error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides a simple API for SMS sending:

import { MessageBird } from 'messagebird';

// Initialize MessageBird client
const messagebird = MessageBird(process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_API_KEY);

// Function to send SMS via MessageBird
async function sendMessageBirdSMS(
  to: string,
  message: string
): Promise<void> {
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    messagebird.messages.create({
      originator: 'YourBrand',
      recipients: [to],
      body: message
    }, (err, response) => {
      if (err) {
        console.error('MessageBird error:', err);
        reject(err);
      } else {
        console.log('Message sent:', response);
        resolve();
      }
    });
  });
}

Plivo

Plivo's API integration for Anguilla SMS:

import { Client } from 'plivo';

// Initialize Plivo client
const plivo = new Client(
  process.env.PLIVO_AUTH_ID,
  process.env.PLIVO_AUTH_TOKEN
);

// Function to send SMS via Plivo
async function sendPlivoSMS(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  from: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    const response = await plivo.messages.create({
      src: from, // Your Plivo number
      dst: to, // Destination number
      text: message,
    });
    
    console.log('Plivo message sent:', response);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Plivo error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

Twilio: 100 messages per second
Sinch: 30 messages per second
MessageBird: 60 messages per second
Plivo: 50 messages per second

Strategies for Large-Scale Sending:

Implement queue systems (e.g., Redis, RabbitMQ)
Use batch sending APIs where available
Implement exponential backoff for retries
Monitor throughput and adjust sending rates

Error Handling and Reporting

Implement logging for all API responses
Set up automated alerts for high error rates
Track delivery receipts (DLRs)
Monitor message costs and delivery rates
Implement retry logic for failed messages

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways:

Always format numbers in E.164 format (+1264)
Implement proper error handling and logging
Monitor delivery rates and costs
Follow compliance guidelines and opt-out management
Test thoroughly before sending bulk messages

Next Steps:

Review the Telecommunications Act of Anguilla
Set up proper monitoring and logging systems
Implement proper opt-out management
Test integrations with small volumes first

Additional Information:

Technical Resources:

American Samoa SMS Guide