Aruba SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Aruba SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Aruba has a well-developed mobile telecommunications infrastructure with high mobile penetration rates. The market primarily relies on SMS for business communications and notifications, though OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are popular for personal communication. The mobile landscape is dominated by major carriers providing reliable SMS delivery infrastructure for both domestic and international messaging.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Aruba

Aruba supports standard SMS messaging capabilities with support for concatenated messages and alphanumeric sender IDs, though two-way messaging is not available.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Aruba through major SMS providers. This means businesses can send outbound messages but cannot receive replies through the same channel.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenation is supported for messages exceeding standard length limits.
Message length rules: Standard SMS length of 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, or 70 characters for Unicode (UCS-2) encoding.
Encoding considerations: Messages using GSM-7 encoding can be concatenated up to 153 characters per segment, while UCS-2 encoded messages allow 67 characters per segment.

MMS Support

MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This ensures compatibility across all devices while still allowing rich media content to be shared through a web-based interface.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is not available in Aruba. This means phone numbers remain tied to their original carrier, which simplifies message routing and delivery.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Aruba. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614) from the SMS API.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Aruba

While Aruba doesn't have specific SMS marketing legislation, businesses should follow international best practices and general telecommunications guidelines. The Bureau Telecommunicatie en Post (BTP) oversees telecommunications regulations in Aruba.

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 subscribers will receive

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• All SMS campaigns must support standard opt-out keywords (STOP, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE)
• HELP messages should provide customer support contact information
• Support both English and Papiamento language commands
• Process opt-out requests within 24 hours

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Aruba 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 for compliance purposes
• Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers

Time Zone Sensitivity

Aruba 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 local holidays
• Only send urgent messages outside these hours
• Consider business hours for B2B communications

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Aruba

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Supported
Registration requirements: No pre-registration required, dynamic usage allowed
Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved and displayed as sent

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International: International long codes supported; domestic long codes available with restrictions
Sender ID preservation: Yes, original sender ID is preserved
Provisioning time: 1-2 business days for international numbers
Use cases: Ideal for transactional messages, customer support, and two-factor authentication

Short Codes

Support: Limited availability
Provisioning time: 8-12 weeks for approval
Use cases: High-volume messaging, marketing campaigns, and time-sensitive alerts

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Restricted Industries:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content and services
• Unauthorized pharmaceutical products
• Financial services without proper licensing

Content Filtering

Carrier Filtering Rules:

• Messages containing suspicious URLs may be blocked
• High-frequency messaging from new sender IDs may trigger filters
• Excessive special characters can trigger spam filters

Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:

• Use consistent sender IDs
• Avoid URL shorteners
• Maintain consistent message volumes
• Use clear, professional language

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Aruba

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 4-8 per month
• Space messages at least 24 hours apart
• Respect local holidays and weekends
• Consider seasonal timing for promotional campaigns

Localization

• Support both Papiamento and English
• Use local date and time formats
• Consider cultural nuances in message content
• Include country code (+297) in response numbers

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs within 24 hours
• Send confirmation message for opt-outs
• Maintain unified opt-out lists across campaigns
• Regular audit of opt-out compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test messages across major local carriers
• Monitor delivery rates and engagement
• Track opt-out rates and patterns
• Regular review of message performance metrics

SMS API integrations for Aruba

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API that supports messaging to Aruba. Integration requires an account SID and auth token for authentication.

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 Aruba
async function sendSMSToAruba(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    // Format phone number to E.164 format for Aruba (+297)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+297') ? to : `+297${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}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers SMS capabilities for Aruba through their REST API, requiring API token authentication.

import axios from 'axios';

class SinchSMSClient {
  private readonly apiToken: string;
  private readonly serviceId: string;
  private readonly baseUrl: string = 'https://sms.api.sinch.com/xms/v1';

  constructor(apiToken: string, serviceId: string) {
    this.apiToken = apiToken;
    this.serviceId = serviceId;
  }

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await axios.post(
        `${this.baseUrl}/${this.serviceId}/batches`,
        {
          from: 'YourBrand', // Alphanumeric sender ID
          to: [to],
          body: message,
        },
        {
          headers: {
            'Authorization': `Bearer ${this.apiToken}`,
            'Content-Type': 'application/json',
          },
        }
      );

      console.log('Message sent:', response.data);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to send message:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides SMS capabilities with straightforward REST API integration.

import messagebird from 'messagebird';

class MessageBirdClient {
  private client: any;

  constructor(apiKey: string) {
    this.client = messagebird(apiKey);
  }

  sendSMS(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<void> {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      this.client.messages.create({
        originator: senderId,
        recipients: [to],
        body: message,
      }, (err: any, response: any) => {
        if (err) {
          console.error('MessageBird error:', err);
          reject(err);
        } else {
          console.log('Message sent successfully:', response);
          resolve();
        }
      });
    });
  }
}

Plivo

Plivo offers SMS integration with support for Aruba destinations.

import plivo from 'plivo';

class PlivoSMSClient {
  private client: any;

  constructor(authId: string, authToken: string) {
    this.client = new plivo.Client(authId, authToken);
  }

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string, from: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await this.client.messages.create({
        src: from, // Your Plivo number or sender ID
        dst: to,   // Destination number in Aruba
        text: message,
      });

      console.log('Message sent successfully:', response);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to send message:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Default rate limit: 100 messages per second
• Batch processing recommended for high volume
• Implement exponential backoff for retry logic
• Queue messages during peak times

Throughput Management Strategies:

• Implement message queuing system
• Use batch APIs for bulk sending
• Monitor delivery rates and adjust accordingly
• 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 message status updates

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways:

• Obtain explicit consent before sending messages
• Support both English and Papiamento
• Respect local time zones (AST/UTC-4)
• Implement proper opt-out handling
• Monitor delivery rates and engagement

Next Steps:

1. Review BTP (Bureau Telecommunicatie en Post) regulations
2. Implement proper consent management
3. Set up monitoring and reporting systems
4. Test message delivery across carriers

Additional Information:

• Bureau Telecommunicatie en Post Aruba
• Aruba Telecommunications Regulations
• SMS Best Practices Guide