Moldova SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Moldova SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Moldova has a growing mobile market with high SMS adoption rates. The country's primary mobile operators include Orange Moldova, Moldcell, and Unite. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Viber are popular, SMS remains a crucial communication channel for business messaging and notifications due to its reliability and universal reach. Android devices dominate the mobile market, though iOS usage is steadily increasing among urban populations.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Moldova

Moldova supports basic SMS functionality with some limitations on advanced features, making it important to understand the specific capabilities and restrictions when planning your messaging strategy.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Moldova through major SMS providers. This means businesses should design their messaging strategies around one-way communications and provide alternative channels for customer responses when needed.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Concatenated messaging is not supported in Moldova.
Message length rules: Messages should be kept within standard SMS length limits to ensure reliable delivery.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with GSM-7 allowing up to 160 characters and UCS-2 allowing up to 70 characters per message.

MMS Support

MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This conversion ensures that multimedia content remains accessible to recipients while maintaining compatibility with all mobile networks in Moldova.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is available in Moldova, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching between mobile operators. This feature does not significantly impact SMS delivery or routing, as messages are automatically routed to the current carrier.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in Moldova. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and may trigger a 400 response error (code 21614) from SMS providers. These messages will not appear in logs, and accounts will not be charged for failed attempts.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Moldova

While Moldova is not part of the EU, it follows many European telecommunications best practices. The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) oversees telecommunications regulations in Moldova. Though specific SMS marketing laws are limited, businesses should follow international best practices for compliance.

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit Consent Requirements:

• Obtain clear, documented opt-in consent before sending marketing messages
• Maintain detailed records of when and how consent was obtained
• Include clear terms and conditions during the opt-in process
• Specify the types of messages users will receive
• Document the phone number and timestamp of consent

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• Support for HELP and STOP commands is required
• Messages should be processed in both Romanian and Russian
• Common keywords to support:
  • STOP, CANCEL, END, UNSUBSCRIBE
  • HELP, INFO
  • PAUSE (for temporary opt-out)

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Moldova does not maintain an official Do Not Call registry. However, businesses should:

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests immediately
• Document all opt-out requests with timestamps
• Remove opted-out numbers within 24 hours
• Regularly clean contact lists to remove inactive numbers

Time Zone Sensitivity

Moldova observes Eastern European Time (EET/EEST). Best practices include:

• Send messages between 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time
• Avoid sending during national holidays
• Consider seasonal time changes (DST)
• Only send urgent messages outside these hours if explicitly agreed upon

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Moldova

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Fully supported
Registration requirements: No pre-registration required
Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved and displayed as sent
Dynamic usage: Supported, allowing flexible sender ID changes

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International:

• Domestic long codes: Fully supported
• International long codes: Limited support

Sender ID preservation: Yes, Moldova preserves original sender IDs
Provisioning time: 1-2 business days for domestic numbers
Use cases:

• Transactional messages
• Customer support
• Two-factor authentication
• Marketing campaigns

Short Codes

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

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Restricted Industries and Content:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content
• Cryptocurrency promotions
• Unauthorized financial services
• Political campaign messages without proper disclosure

Content Filtering

Carrier Filtering Rules:

• Messages containing suspicious URLs may be blocked
• High-frequency sending patterns trigger spam filters
• Messages with specific restricted keywords are filtered

Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:

• Use registered URL shorteners
• Maintain consistent sending patterns
• Avoid excessive punctuation and all-caps
• Include clear sender identification
• Use approved terminology for regulated industries

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Moldova

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear calls-to-action
• Personalize messages using recipient's name or relevant details
• Maintain consistent branding across messages

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit marketing messages to 4-5 per month per recipient
• Space messages at least 24 hours apart
• Avoid sending during national holidays
• Consider cultural events and local customs

Localization

• Support both Romanian (primary) and Russian languages
• Allow language preference selection during opt-in
• Use proper character encoding for special characters
• Consider cultural nuances in message content

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-out requests within 24 hours
• Send confirmation message for opt-out requests
• Maintain separate opt-out lists for different types of messages
• Regular audit of opt-out compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test messages across all major carriers (Orange, Moldcell, Unite)
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics and optimize accordingly
• Regular testing of opt-out functionality

SMS API integrations for Moldova

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API that supports messaging to Moldova. Here's how to implement it:

import * as Twilio from 'twilio';

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

// Function to send SMS to Moldova
async function sendSMSToMoldova(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
) {
  try {
    // Ensure proper formatting for Moldova numbers (+373)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+373') ? to : `+373${to}`;
    
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: senderId, // Alphanumeric sender ID or Twilio number
      to: formattedNumber,
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);
    return response;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers comprehensive SMS capabilities for Moldova with support for various message types:

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 using Sinch
async function sendSinchSMS(
  recipientNumber: string,
  messageText: string
) {
  try {
    const response = await sinchClient.sms.batches.send({
      sendSMSRequestBody: {
        to: [recipientNumber],
        from: "YourBrand", // Alphanumeric sender ID
        body: messageText,
        type: 'mt_text'
      }
    });
    
    console.log('Message sent:', response);
    return response;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sinch SMS error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

MessageBird (Bird)

MessageBird provides a straightforward API for sending SMS to Moldova:

import * as messagebird from 'messagebird';

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

// Function to send SMS via MessageBird
function sendMessageBirdSMS(
  recipient: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<any> {
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    messageBirdClient.messages.create({
      originator: senderId,
      recipients: [recipient],
      body: message,
      datacoding: 'auto' // Automatic handling of special characters
    }, (err, response) => {
      if (err) {
        reject(err);
        return;
      }
      resolve(response);
    });
  });
}

Plivo

Plivo's API offers reliable SMS delivery to Moldova:

import * as 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
) {
  try {
    const response = await plivoClient.messages.create({
      src: senderId,
      dst: to,
      text: message,
      url_strip_query_params: false // Preserve URL parameters if any
    });
    
    console.log('Plivo message sent:', response);
    return 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 (Redis/RabbitMQ)
• Use batch sending APIs where available
• Implement exponential backoff for retries
• Monitor delivery rates and adjust accordingly

Error Handling and Reporting

• Implement comprehensive logging
• Monitor delivery receipts
• Track common error codes
• Set up automated alerts for failed deliveries
• Maintain error logs for compliance

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

1. Compliance Priorities

   • Obtain explicit consent
   • Honor opt-out requests
   • Maintain proper documentation
   • Follow time zone restrictions

2. Technical Considerations

   • Use proper number formatting (+373)
   • Implement proper error handling
   • Monitor delivery rates
   • Test across all carriers

3. Best Practices

   • Localize content (Romanian/Russian)
   • Maintain consistent sending patterns
   • Regular testing and monitoring
   • Keep messages concise and relevant

Next Steps

1. Review ANRCETI regulations (Moldova's telecom authority)
2. Consult legal counsel for compliance review
3. Set up test accounts with preferred SMS providers
4. Implement proper monitoring and logging systems

Additional Resources

• ANRCETI Official Website
• Moldova Telecom Laws and Regulations
• [SMS Provider Documentation]:
  • Twilio Moldova Guidelines
  • Sinch Country Specific Guidelines
  • MessageBird API Documentation
  • Plivo API Documentation