Bermuda (UK) SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Bermuda (UK) SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Bermuda has a well-developed mobile telecommunications infrastructure with high SMS adoption rates. The market is primarily served by major operators like Digicel, which supports advanced messaging features. While OTT messaging apps are popular, SMS remains a crucial communication channel for business and personal use, particularly for notifications and authentication purposes.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Bermuda

Bermuda offers standard SMS capabilities with some limitations on advanced features like two-way messaging and number portability.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Bermuda. Businesses should design their messaging strategies around one-way communication flows and provide alternative channels for customer responses when needed.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenated messages are supported, though availability may vary by sender ID type.
Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 characters for UCS-2 encoding before splitting occurs.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with message splitting points varying based on the chosen encoding.

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 linked web pages. Best practice is to use short URLs and include clear context in the SMS portion of the message.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is not available in Bermuda. This means phone numbers remain tied to their original carrier, which can simplify message routing but may impact long-term customer communication strategies.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Bermuda. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614) from the messaging API. Messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged for these attempts.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Bermuda (UK)

Bermuda follows data protection principles aligned with UK standards, particularly regarding electronic communications. While specific SMS regulations are governed by the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda (RAB), businesses should also comply with the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and UK-influenced data protection guidelines.

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit Consent Requirements:

• Obtain clear, explicit opt-in consent before sending any marketing or promotional messages
• Document and maintain records of consent acquisition, including timestamp and method
• Provide clear information about message frequency and content type at opt-in
• Separate consent for different types of communications (marketing, transactional, etc.)

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• All SMS campaigns must support standard STOP commands for opt-out
• HELP messages should provide customer support contact information
• Keywords must be in English, the primary language in Bermuda
• Process opt-out requests within 24 hours of receipt

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

While Bermuda doesn't maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry, businesses should:

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests immediately
• Document all opt-out requests with timestamps
• Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers

Time Zone Sensitivity

Bermuda follows Atlantic Standard Time (AST):

• Restrict message sending to 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM AST
• Avoid sending during public holidays unless urgent
• Consider seasonal time differences when scheduling campaigns

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Bermuda (UK)

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Partially supported (Digicel only)
Registration requirements: No pre-registration required
Sender ID preservation: Not guaranteed - may be overwritten with random Sender ID outside platform

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International:

• Domestic long codes not supported
• International long codes supported

Sender ID preservation: Yes, for supported carriers
Provisioning time: Immediate for international numbers
Use cases: Transactional messages, alerts, and notifications

Short Codes

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

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Restricted Industries:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content
• Cryptocurrency promotions
• Unregistered financial services

Regulated Industries:

• Financial services (require Bermuda Monetary Authority approval)
• Healthcare (must comply with patient privacy regulations)
• Insurance (subject to insurance commission guidelines)

Content Filtering

Known Carrier Filters:

• URLs from unknown domains
• Excessive punctuation
• All-capital text messages
• Multiple consecutive spaces

Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:

• Use registered URL shorteners
• Maintain consistent sender IDs
• Avoid spam trigger words
• Keep message formatting simple

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Bermuda (UK)

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear call-to-actions
• Use personalization tokens thoughtfully
• Maintain consistent brand voice

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit to 4-5 messages per month per recipient
• Respect local business hours
• Consider Bermuda public holidays
• Space out messages to avoid overwhelming recipients

Localization

• Use English as the primary language
• Avoid colloquialisms that may not resonate locally
• Consider local cultural context and sensitivities

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs in real-time
• Maintain centralized opt-out database
• Include clear opt-out instructions in messages
• Regular audit of opt-out compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test across major local carriers
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics
• Regular A/B testing of message content

SMS API integrations for Bermuda (UK)

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API for sending messages to Bermuda. Integration requires your Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Console.

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 Bermuda
async function sendSMSToBermuda(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  from: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    // Ensure number is in E.164 format for Bermuda (+1441XXXXXXX)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+1441') ? to : `+1441${to}`;
    
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: from,  // Your Twilio number or approved 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 SMS capabilities for Bermuda through their REST API. Authentication uses your API Token and Service Plan ID.

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],  // Must be in E.164 format
        from: process.env.SINCH_SENDER_ID,
        body: message,
      },
    });
    
    console.log('Message sent:', response);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sinch SMS error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Bird

Bird's API provides SMS functionality for Bermuda with straightforward REST endpoints.

import axios from 'axios';

// Bird SMS sending function
async function sendBirdSMS(
  receiverNumber: string,
  messageText: string
): Promise<void> {
  const url = `https://api.bird.com/workspaces/${process.env.BIRD_WORKSPACE_ID}/channels/${process.env.BIRD_CHANNEL_ID}/messages`;
  
  const headers = {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization': `AccessKey ${process.env.BIRD_ACCESS_KEY}`,
  };
  
  const data = {
    receiver: {
      contacts: [{ identifierValue: receiverNumber }],
    },
    body: {
      type: 'text',
      text: { text: messageText },
    },
  };
  
  try {
    const response = await axios.post(url, data, { headers });
    console.log('Bird SMS sent successfully:', response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Bird SMS error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Default rate limit: 100 messages per second
• Batch processing recommended for volumes over 1000/hour
• Implement exponential backoff for retry logic
• Queue messages during peak times

Throughput Management Strategies:

• Use message queuing systems (Redis, RabbitMQ)
• Implement rate limiting middleware
• Monitor API response times
• Set up automatic throttling

Error Handling and Reporting

Common Error Scenarios:

• Invalid phone numbers
• Network timeouts
• Rate limit exceeded
• Invalid sender ID

Logging Best Practices:

// Example error handling middleware
const handleSMSError = (error: any): void => {
  const errorLog = {
    timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
    errorCode: error.code,
    message: error.message,
    details: error.response?.data,
  };
  
  // Log to monitoring system
  logger.error('SMS Error:', errorLog);
  
  // Implement retry logic for recoverable errors
  if (isRecoverableError(error)) {
    queueForRetry(error.originalRequest);
  }
};

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

1. Compliance Priorities

   • Obtain explicit consent
   • Honor opt-out requests
   • Maintain proper documentation

2. Technical Considerations

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

3. Best Practices

   • Respect time zones
   • Keep messages concise
   • Regular testing across carriers

Next Steps

1. Review the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda guidelines
2. Implement proper consent management
3. Set up monitoring and reporting systems

Additional Resources

• Regulatory Authority of Bermuda
• Personal Information Protection Act
• Bermuda SMS Marketing Guidelines

Contact Information:

• Regulatory Authority: +1 441 405 6000
• Technical Support: Check your SMS provider's support portal
• Legal Resources: Consult local telecommunications attorneys