French Guiana (France) SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

French Guiana (France) SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: French Guiana, as an overseas department of France, follows French telecommunications standards and regulations. The mobile market is dominated by major French operators including Orange, SFR, and Digicel. While OTT messaging apps are popular, SMS remains a crucial communication channel, particularly for business and authentication purposes. The market shows a mix of Android and iOS usage, with Android having a slight edge in market share.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in French Guiana

French Guiana supports standard SMS messaging capabilities with some limitations on advanced features like two-way messaging and concatenation.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in French Guiana through standard A2P messaging channels.
Messages can only be sent one-way from businesses to consumers.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Concatenated messages are not supported in French Guiana.
Message length rules: Messages must fit within standard SMS character limits.
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 to view the multimedia content.
Best Practice: When sending media content, ensure the URL is shortened and clearly labeled for recipient trust.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is not available in French Guiana.
This means phone numbers remain tied to their original carrier, simplifying message routing and delivery.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in French Guiana.
Attempts to send SMS to landline numbers will result in a 400 response with error code 21614, and no message delivery will occur or charges applied.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in French Guiana (France)

As an overseas department of France, French Guiana follows French telecommunications regulations and GDPR requirements. The primary regulatory bodies are ARCEP (Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes) and CNIL (Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés).

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit Consent Requirements:

• Written consent must be obtained before sending marketing messages
• Consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous
• Documentation of consent must be maintained and readily available
• Separate consent required for different types of communications

Best Practices for Consent Collection:

• Use clear opt-in checkboxes (no pre-checked boxes)
• Maintain detailed records of when and how consent was obtained
• Include clear terms and conditions during opt-in
• Provide immediate confirmation of subscription

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• All marketing messages must include "STOP" functionality
• Standard format: "STOP au 36179" at the end of messages
• Both French and English commands must be supported
• Common keywords: STOP, ARRETER, AIDE, HELP
• Response to STOP commands must be immediate and in French

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

• France maintains the Bloctel list, which applies to French Guiana
• Businesses must screen numbers against Bloctel before sending marketing messages
• Maintain internal suppression lists for opted-out numbers
• Process opt-outs within 24 hours
• Regular database cleaning recommended to remove invalid numbers

Time Zone Sensitivity

• Marketing messages restricted to Monday-Saturday, 8 AM to 10 PM local time
• Messages outside these hours will be queued for next available window
• Sunday and public holiday messages are blocked
• Transactional messages can be sent 24/7
• Time zone: French Guiana (GMT-3)

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in French Guiana (France)

Alphanumeric Sender ID

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

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International:

• Domestic long codes not supported
• International long codes supported but sender ID may be overwritten

Sender ID preservation: No, international numbers are typically overwritten
Provisioning time: Immediate for international numbers
Use cases: Transactional messages, alerts, notifications

Short Codes

Support: Not supported in French Guiana
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 and services
• Unauthorized pharmaceutical products
• Political messaging without proper disclaimers
• Financial services without proper licensing
• Cryptocurrency promotions

Content Filtering

Carrier Filtering Rules:

• Messages containing certain keywords may be blocked
• URLs must be from approved domains
• Message content must be in French or English

Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:

• Avoid excessive punctuation and special characters
• Use approved URL shorteners
• Keep content professional and clear
• Avoid spam trigger words
• Include clear sender identification

Best Practices for Sending SMS in French Guiana (France)

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear call-to-action
• Use personalization tokens appropriately
• Maintain consistent brand voice
• Include sender identification in message

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit to 2-3 marketing messages per week
• Respect quiet hours and holidays
• Space out messages to avoid overwhelming recipients
• Monitor engagement rates to optimize timing

Localization

• Primary language should be French
• Consider including both French and English for important messages
• Use proper French formatting for dates and numbers
• Consider local cultural context and holidays

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
• Train staff on opt-out procedures

Testing and Monitoring

• Test messages across all major carriers
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics
• Regular testing of opt-out functionality
• Monitor for carrier filtering changes

SMS API integrations for French Guiana (France)

Twilio

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

import { Twilio } from 'twilio';

// Initialize the client with your credentials
const client = new Twilio(
  process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID,    // Your Account SID
  process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN      // Your Auth Token
);

async function sendSMS() {
  try {
    // Send message with proper French Guiana formatting
    const message = await client.messages.create({
      body: 'Votre code de confirmation est: 123456',
      from: 'YourBrand',  // Alphanumeric sender ID
      to: '+594XXXXXXXXX' // French Guiana number format
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully: ${message.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers SMS capabilities with support for French Guiana through their unified SDK.

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
});

async function sendSMS() {
  try {
    const response = await sinchClient.sms.batches.send({
      sendSMSRequestBody: {
        to: ['+594XXXXXXXXX'],
        from: 'YourBrand',
        body: 'Votre message ici'
      }
    });
    
    console.log('Message sent:', response);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Sending failed:', error);
  }
}

MessageBird (Bird)

MessageBird provides SMS services with specific support for French territories.

import { MessageBirdClient } from 'messagebird';

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

// Function to send SMS
const sendSMS = async () => {
  const params = {
    originator: 'YourBrand',
    recipients: ['+594XXXXXXXXX'],
    body: 'Votre message ici',
    scheduledDatetime: null // Optional scheduling
  };

  try {
    const response = await messagebird.messages.create(params);
    console.log('Message sent:', response);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error:', error);
  }
};

Plivo

Plivo's API supports SMS messaging to French Guiana with detailed delivery tracking.

import { Client } from 'plivo';

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

async function sendSMS() {
  try {
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      src: 'YourBrand',              // Sender ID
      dst: '+594XXXXXXXXX',          // Destination number
      text: 'Votre message ici',
      url: 'https://your-callback-url.com', // Optional delivery report URL
    });
    
    console.log('Message sent:', response);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error:', error);
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Default rate limit: 1 message per second per destination
• Batch sending limit: 100 messages per request
• Daily sending limits may apply based on account type

Strategies for Large-Scale Sending:

• Implement queuing system for high-volume campaigns
• Use batch APIs when available
• Schedule messages across time windows
• Monitor delivery rates and adjust sending speed

Error Handling and Reporting

• Implement retry logic for failed messages
• Log all API responses and message status updates
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Set up webhooks for delivery status updates
• Maintain error logs with message IDs for troubleshooting

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

1. Compliance Priorities

   • Obtain explicit consent
   • Respect time windows (8 AM - 10 PM)
   • Include opt-out instructions
   • Use French language in messages

2. Technical Considerations

   • Use proper number formatting (+594)
   • Implement proper error handling
   • Monitor delivery rates
   • Test across all carriers

3. Best Practices

   • Keep messages concise
   • Use approved sender IDs
   • Regular testing and monitoring
   • Maintain clean opt-out lists

Next Steps

1. Regulatory Review

   • Review ARCEP guidelines
   • Consult CNIL requirements
   • Document compliance procedures

2. Technical Setup

   • Choose appropriate SMS provider
   • Implement testing environment
   • Set up monitoring systems

3. Operational Planning

   • Develop content guidelines
   • Create response templates
   • Train support staff

Additional Information:

• ARCEP (French Telecom Regulator): www.arcep.fr
• CNIL (Data Protection): www.cnil.fr
• French Guiana Business Registry: www.guyane.cci.fr