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Indonesia SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Indonesia SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Indonesia
ISO code:
ID
Region
Asia
Mobile country code (MCC)
510
Dialing Code
+62
Market Conditions: Indonesia has one of the largest mobile markets in Asia, with high SMS usage alongside popular OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and LINE. The market is dominated by major operators including Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo, and XL Axiata. Android devices hold approximately 92% market share, while iOS devices account for roughly 8%. SMS remains a critical channel for business communications, particularly for authentication, notifications, and marketing messages.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Indonesia
Indonesia supports most standard SMS features including concatenated messaging and alphanumeric sender IDs, though two-way SMS functionality is not available through most providers.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Indonesia through major SMS providers. Businesses requiring interactive messaging capabilities should consider alternative communication channels or specialized local providers.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is supported, though availability may vary based on sender ID type. Message length rules: Messages are limited to 160 characters before splitting occurs when using GSM-7 encoding. Encoding considerations: GSM-7 is the standard encoding format. UCS-2 encoding is only supported for International Registered Sender IDs, not for domestic ones.
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 Indonesia. This means phone numbers remain tied to their original mobile network operators.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in Indonesia. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a 400 response error (code 21614) through most SMS APIs, and such messages will not be processed or charged to the sender's account.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Indonesia
Indonesia's SMS communications are regulated by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kominfo). All SMS providers and businesses must comply with local telecommunications laws and data privacy regulations, including the Personal Data Protection Law (UU PDP) implemented in 2022.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit consent is mandatory before sending any marketing or promotional messages to Indonesian mobile users. Best practices for consent management include:
Maintaining clear records of when and how consent was obtained
Providing transparent information about message frequency and content type
Using double opt-in verification for marketing lists
Storing consent documentation for at least 5 years
Including clear terms and conditions during the opt-in process
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
All SMS campaigns must support standard opt-out keywords in both English and Bahasa Indonesia:
STOP/BERHENTI
HELP/BANTUAN
CANCEL/BATAL
Messages should include opt-out instructions in Bahasa Indonesia
Opt-out confirmations must be sent in the recipient's preferred language
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
While Indonesia does not maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry, businesses must:
Maintain their own suppression lists
Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
Implement systems to prevent messaging to opted-out numbers
Regularly clean and update contact lists
Time Zone Sensitivity
Indonesia spans three time zones (WIB, WITA, and WIT). Best practices include:
Sending messages between 08:00 and 20:00 local time
Respecting religious observances, particularly during Ramadan
Only sending urgent messages (like OTP) outside these hours
Scheduling campaigns according to the recipient's local time zone
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Indonesia
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Fully supported Registration requirements: Pre-registration required for both domestic and international senders Sender ID preservation: Yes, preserved when properly registered
Domestic registration takes approximately 3 weeks
International registration takes approximately 4 weeks
Must include brand name in message body
Limited to 11 alphanumeric characters
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic long codes not supported
International long codes supported but with limitations
Sender ID preservation: No, typically overwritten
Provisioning time: N/A for domestic, immediate for international
Use cases: Not recommended for primary messaging; use alphanumeric sender IDs instead
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Indonesia
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
The following content types are strictly prohibited:
Firearms and weapons
Gambling and betting
Adult content
Political messages
Religious content
Controlled substances
Cannabis products
Alcohol-related content
Phone numbers within message body
Content Filtering
Carrier Filtering Rules:
Messages must include brand name or service program identifier
URLs should be from approved domains
Content must be in either Bahasa Indonesia or English
Maximum 160 characters per segment recommended
Tips to Avoid Blocking:
Avoid URL shorteners
Don't include multiple links in one message
Keep content professional and business-related
Avoid excessive punctuation or all-caps text
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Indonesia
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-action
Use personalization tokens appropriately
Maintain consistent sender ID across campaigns
Sending Frequency and Timing
Limit to 4-5 messages per month per recipient
Respect religious and cultural observances
Avoid sending during major holidays
Space out messages to prevent fatigue
Localization
Primary language should be Bahasa Indonesia
Consider regional dialects for specific areas
Use formal Bahasa Indonesia for business communications
Include English translations for international brands
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Send confirmation of opt-out completion
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Regular audit of opt-out compliance
Testing and Monitoring
Test across all major carriers (Telkomsel, Indosat, XL)
Monitor delivery rates by carrier
Track opt-out rates and patterns
Regular testing of opt-out functionality
SMS API Integrations for Indonesia
Twilio
Twilio provides robust SMS capabilities for Indonesia through their REST API. Authentication uses account SID and auth token credentials.
import{ Twilio }from'twilio';// Initialize Twilio client with your credentialsconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);// Function to send SMS to IndonesiaasyncfunctionsendSMSToIndonesia( to:string, message:string, senderId:string){try{// Ensure phone number is in E.164 format for Indonesiaconst formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+62')? to :`+62${to}`;const response =await client.messages.create({ body:`${senderId}: ${message}`,// Include brand name as required from: senderId,// Your registered alphanumeric sender ID to: formattedNumber,});console.log(`Message sent successfully: ${response.sid}`);return response;}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers SMS API access with REST endpoints and requires API token authentication.