Senegal SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Senegal SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Senegal has a growing mobile market with significant SMS usage for both personal and business communications. The country's major mobile operators include Orange, Free (formerly Tigo), and Expresso. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are gaining popularity, particularly in urban areas, SMS remains a crucial communication channel due to its reliability and universal reach. Android devices dominate the market, with iOS having a smaller presence primarily in major cities.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Senegal

Senegal supports basic SMS functionality with some limitations on advanced features like two-way messaging and concatenation.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Senegal according to current operator specifications. This means businesses can send messages to users, but cannot receive replies through the same channel.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Concatenated messaging is not supported in Senegal.
Message length rules: Messages must conform to standard SMS length limitations.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encoding 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 means that any multimedia content must be hosted separately and accessed via the provided link. This approach ensures compatibility while still enabling the sharing of rich media content.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is not available in Senegal. This means that 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 possible in Senegal. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and may trigger a 400 response error (code 21614) from messaging APIs. These messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged for failed attempts.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Senegal

SMS communications in Senegal are regulated by the Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications et des Postes (ARTP). While specific SMS marketing regulations are still evolving, businesses must adhere to general telecommunications guidelines and international best practices.

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit Consent Requirements:

• Obtain clear, documented consent before sending marketing messages
• Maintain detailed records of when and how consent was obtained
• Include your business name and purpose in initial opt-in messages
• Provide clear terms and conditions during the opt-in process

Best Practices for Documentation:

• Store consent records with timestamp and source
• Maintain an auditable trail of opt-in methods
• Regularly update and clean consent databases
• Implement double opt-in for marketing campaigns

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• All SMS campaigns must support standard STOP commands
• HELP and STOP messages should be available in both French and Wolof
• Common keywords to support:
  • STOP, ARRET, ARRÊT (stop messages)
  • AIDE, HELP (get help)
  • INFO (get information)

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

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

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
• Regularly clean contact databases
• Implement automated opt-out processing

Time Zone Sensitivity

Time Restrictions:

• Avoid sending messages between 10 PM and 6 AM local time (GMT/UTC)
• Respect Ramadan timing adjustments
• Consider Friday prayer times (2-4 PM)

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Senegal

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Supported
Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required
Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved as specified
Dynamic usage: Supported across most networks

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International:

• Domestic long codes not available
• International long codes supported

Sender ID preservation: No, international long codes may be modified Provisioning time: 1-2 business days Use cases:

• Transactional messages
• Customer support
• Two-factor authentication

Short Codes

Support: Available but limited Provisioning time: 8-12 weeks Use cases:

• Marketing campaigns
• High-volume messaging
• Premium services

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Restricted Industries:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content and dating services
• Cryptocurrency and unauthorized financial services
• Political campaign messages without proper authorization

Sensitive Industries Requirements:

• Financial services must include sender identification
• Healthcare messages must maintain patient confidentiality
• Educational institutions need proper accreditation

Content Filtering

Known Carrier Filters:

• URLs from unknown domains
• Multiple exclamation marks
• ALL CAPS messages
• Excessive special characters

Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:

• Use approved sender IDs
• Maintain consistent sending patterns
• Avoid URL shorteners
• Keep content professional and clear

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Senegal

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear call-to-actions
• Personalize messages with recipient's name
• Maintain consistent brand voice

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit to 4-5 messages per month per recipient
• Respect religious and cultural holidays
• Avoid sending during major sporting events
• Space out messages to prevent fatigue

Localization

• Primary languages: French and Wolof
• Consider regional dialects for specific areas
• Use appropriate formal/informal tone
• Include both French and Wolof in critical messages

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs within 24 hours
• Maintain centralized opt-out database
• Confirm opt-out with one final message
• Regular audit of opt-out lists

Testing and Monitoring

• Test across all major carriers (Orange, Free, Expresso)
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics
• Regular A/B testing of message content

SMS API integrations for Senegal

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Senegal. Integration requires an account SID and auth token for authentication.

Key Parameters:

• from: Alphanumeric sender ID (up to 11 characters)
• to: Recipient number in E.164 format (+221XXXXXXXXX)
• body: Message content (supports UTF-8 encoding)

import * as Twilio from 'twilio';

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

async function sendSMSToSenegal() {
  try {
    // Send message with error handling
    const message = await client.messages.create({
      body: 'Bonjour! Your verification code is: 123456',
      from: 'YourBrand',  // Alphanumeric sender ID
      to: '+221XXXXXXXXX' // Senegal number
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${message.sid}`);
    return message;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers direct operator connections in Senegal with support for both transactional and marketing messages.

Key Parameters:

• from: Supports alphanumeric sender IDs
• to: Numbers must include country code (+221)
• text: Message content with Unicode support

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

const sinchClient = new SinchClient({
  projectId: process.env.SINCH_PROJECT_ID,
  apiToken: process.env.SINCH_API_TOKEN
});

async function sendSinchSMS() {
  try {
    const response = await sinchClient.sms.batches.send({
      from: 'CompanyName',
      to: ['+221XXXXXXXXX'],
      body: 'Your appointment is confirmed for tomorrow at 2 PM.',
      // Optional delivery report
      deliveryReport: 'summary'
    });
    
    console.log('Message batch ID:', response.id);
    return response;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sinch SMS Error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides reliable SMS delivery in Senegal with advanced features for delivery tracking.

Key Parameters:

• originator: Alphanumeric ID or phone number
• recipients: Array of phone numbers
• content: Message content with encoding options

import { MessageBird } from 'messagebird';

const messagebird = new MessageBird(process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_API_KEY);

async function sendMessageBirdSMS() {
  const params = {
    originator: 'YourBrand',
    recipients: ['+221XXXXXXXXX'],
    content: {
      type: 'text',
      text: 'Merci pour votre commande! Order #12345 confirmed.'
    }
  };

  try {
    const response = await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      messagebird.messages.create(params, (err, response) => {
        if (err) reject(err);
        else resolve(response);
      });
    });
    
    console.log('MessageBird Response:', response);
    return response;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('MessageBird Error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

Rate Limits:

• Twilio: 100 messages per second
• Sinch: 30 messages per second
• MessageBird: 60 messages per second

Throughput Management Strategies:

• Implement exponential backoff for retries
• Use batch endpoints for bulk sending
• Queue messages during peak times
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier

Error Handling and Reporting

Best Practices:

• Implement comprehensive error logging
• Monitor delivery receipts
• Track carrier-specific error codes
• Set up automated alerts for failure thresholds

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

1. Compliance Priorities:

   • Obtain explicit consent
   • Respect time restrictions (10 PM - 6 AM)
   • Support opt-out mechanisms

2. Technical Considerations:

   • Use E.164 number formatting
   • Implement proper error handling
   • Monitor delivery rates

3. Localization Requirements:

   • Support French and Wolof
   • Consider cultural sensitivities
   • Respect local holidays

Next Steps

1. Review ARTP regulations at www.artp.sn
2. Consult with local legal counsel for compliance
3. Set up test accounts with preferred SMS providers
4. Implement delivery monitoring systems

Additional Resources

• Official Resources:

  • ARTP Guidelines: www.artp.sn/guidelines
  • Senegal Telecom Laws: www.droit-afrique.com

• Industry Best Practices:

  • Mobile Marketing Association Guidelines
  • GSMA Messaging Principles
  • African Telecommunications Union Standards