Bhutan SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Bhutan SMS Market Overview

Locale name:	Bhutan
ISO code:	BT
Region	Asia
Mobile country code (MCC)	402
Dialing Code	+975

Market Conditions: Bhutan's mobile market is dominated by B-Mobile as the primary operator. SMS remains an important communication channel, though delivery is considered "best effort" through B-Mobile networks. The market shows growing adoption of OTT messaging apps, particularly in urban areas, but SMS maintains relevance for business communications and notifications due to its reliability and universal reach.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Bhutan

Bhutan supports basic SMS functionality with some limitations, primarily operating through B-Mobile's network infrastructure with best-effort delivery guarantees.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Bhutan according to current operator capabilities. This means businesses cannot receive replies to their outbound messages through standard SMS channels.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenated messages are supported, though with some limitations based on sender ID type.
Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply before concatenation occurs.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encoding are supported, with UCS-2 particularly important for local Dzongkha language support.

MMS Support

MMS messages are not directly supported in Bhutan. When attempting to send MMS content, messages are automatically converted to SMS format with an embedded URL link where recipients can access the multimedia content.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is not available in Bhutan. This means mobile numbers remain tied to their original carrier, simplifying message routing but limiting consumer flexibility.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Bhutan. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery with a 400 response error (code 21614), and no charges will be incurred.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Bhutan

SMS communications in Bhutan are regulated by the Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA) under the Information, Communications and Media Act of 2018. The Code of Practice for SMS-CB Service provides specific guidelines for mobile service providers and message senders.

Explicit Consent Requirements:

Written or electronic consent must be obtained before sending marketing messages
Consent records should be maintained and easily accessible
Purpose of communication must be clearly stated during opt-in
Consent should specify the types of messages subscribers will receive

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

All SMS campaigns must support HELP and STOP commands
Commands should be recognized in both English and Dzongkha
Response to HELP/STOP commands must be immediate and free of charge
Subscribers must have the option to unsubscribe from SMS-CB services at any time

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

While Bhutan does not maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry, businesses should:

Maintain their own suppression lists
Honor opt-out requests immediately
Document all opt-out requests
Remove opted-out numbers within 24 hours
Regularly clean contact lists to ensure compliance

Time Zone Sensitivity

Bhutan follows BTT (UTC+6), and while there are no strict legal time restrictions, best practices include:

Sending messages between 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM BTT
Avoiding messages during religious holidays and festivals
Limiting urgent messages outside business hours to genuine emergencies

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Bhutan

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Supported
Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required
Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved and displayed 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 to 24 hours
Use cases: Ideal for transactional messages and two-factor authentication

Short Codes

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

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Restricted Content:

Gambling and betting services
Adult content or explicit material
Unauthorized financial services
Political campaign messages without proper authorization
Religious content without appropriate permissions

Content Filtering

Carrier Filtering Rules:

Messages containing restricted keywords may be blocked
URLs should be from verified domains
High-volume identical messages may be flagged as spam

Best Practices to Avoid Blocking:

Avoid excessive punctuation and special characters
Use registered and approved sender IDs
Maintain consistent sending patterns
Include clear business identification in messages

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Bhutan

Messaging Strategy

Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-actions
Identify your business in each message
Use approved templates for consistent messaging

Sending Frequency and Timing

Limit to 3-4 messages per week per recipient
Respect Bhutanese holidays and festivals
Schedule messages during business hours
Space out bulk campaigns to avoid network congestion

Localization

Support both English and Dzongkha
Consider Unicode requirements for local language
Use culturally appropriate messaging
Respect local customs and sensitivities

Opt-Out Management

Include clear opt-out instructions in messages
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Maintain accurate opt-out records
Provide multiple opt-out channels

Testing and Monitoring

Test messages across different devices
Monitor delivery rates closely
Track engagement metrics
Regular review of bounce rates and failed deliveries

SMS API integrations for Bhutan

Twilio

Twilio provides a straightforward REST API for sending SMS to Bhutan. 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 Bhutan
async function sendSmsToBhutan(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    // Ensure proper formatting for Bhutan numbers (+975)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+975') ? to : `+975${to}`;
    
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: senderId, // Alphanumeric sender ID
      to: formattedNumber,
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers robust SMS capabilities for Bhutan through their REST API:

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,
  smsRegion: 'ap' // Asia Pacific region for Bhutan
});

// Function to send SMS using Sinch
async function sendSinchSms(
  to: string,
  message: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    const response = await sinchClient.sms.batches.send({
      sendSMSRequestBody: {
        to: [to],
        from: 'YourBrand', // Alphanumeric sender ID
        body: message,
        type: 'mt_text'
      }
    });
    
    console.log(`Batch ID: ${response.id}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sinch SMS Error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides a reliable API for sending SMS to Bhutan:

import messagebird from 'messagebird';

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

// Function to send SMS via MessageBird
function sendMessageBirdSms(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<void> {
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    const params = {
      originator: senderId,
      recipients: [to],
      body: message,
      datacoding: 'unicode' // Support for local language
    };

    messageBirdClient.messages.create(params, (err, response) => {
      if (err) {
        reject(err);
        return;
      }
      resolve(response);
    });
  });
}

Plivo

Plivo's API integration for Bhutan SMS:

import plivo from 'plivo';

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

// Function to send SMS via Plivo
async function sendPlivoSms(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    const response = await plivoClient.messages.create({
      src: senderId,
      dst: to,
      text: message,
      url_strip_query_params: false
    });
    
    console.log('Message UUID:', response.messageUuid);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Plivo Error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

Default rate limit: 30 requests per second
Batch processing recommended for volumes over 1000/hour
Implement exponential backoff for retry logic
Queue messages during peak hours

Throughput Management Strategies:

Implement message queuing system
Use batch APIs for bulk sending
Monitor delivery rates and adjust sending speed
Implement circuit breakers for error handling

Error Handling and Reporting

Log all API responses and errors
Implement retry logic for failed messages
Monitor delivery receipts
Track common error codes and their resolutions
Set up alerts for unusual error rates

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways:

Always use proper phone number formatting (+975)
Implement proper opt-out handling
Follow time zone considerations
Maintain clean contact lists
Monitor delivery rates

Next Steps:

Review BICMA regulations at www.bicma.gov.bt
Consult with local legal counsel for compliance
Set up test accounts with preferred SMS providers
Implement proper error handling and monitoring
Establish opt-out management procedures

Additional Resources:

American Samoa SMS Guide