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Jamaica SMS Guidelines: Compliance, Message Length, and Two-Way Support

Sending SMS messages to Jamaica involves adhering to specific guidelines to ensure compliance and effective communication. This guide covers the key aspects of SMS communication in Jamaica, including compliance, message length, and two-way SMS support.

Two-Way SMS Support in Jamaica

Businesses aiming to engage in two-way SMS communication with Jamaican users should note that two-way SMS is not supported. While you can send messages to Jamaican users, they cannot respond via SMS. This limitation is crucial for businesses planning customer engagement strategies.

Mobile Country Code and Dialing Code

Jamaica's mobile country code (MCC) is 338, and the dialing code is +1876. These codes are essential for configuring your SMS platform to ensure messages are correctly routed to Jamaican mobile users.

Number Portability

Number portability is not available in Jamaica, meaning users cannot retain their mobile number when switching service providers. Businesses should keep their contact lists updated to reflect this.

Concatenated Message Support

Jamaica supports concatenated messages, allowing messages exceeding the standard SMS character limit to be split and rejoined on the recipient's device. Note that this feature might not be supported for certain sender ID types, and message splitting can vary based on character encoding.

Message Length Considerations

The character limit for a single SMS depends on encoding:

  • GSM-7 encoding: Up to 160 characters.
  • UCS-2 encoding (for non-Latin characters): Up to 70 characters.

MMS Support

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is not directly supported in Jamaica. Instead, MMS messages are converted to SMS with an embedded URL, allowing recipients to access multimedia content via a link.

Sending SMS to Landline Numbers

SMS messages cannot be sent to landline numbers in Jamaica. Attempts to do so will result in a 400 response with error code 21614 from the Sent REST API. No charges are incurred, and the message is not logged.

Compliance Considerations

To comply with local regulations when sending SMS to Jamaican users, consider the following best practices:

  1. Obtain opt-in consent from users before sending any communication, particularly marketing messages.
  2. Send messages during the user's daytime hours, unless urgent.
  3. Ensure SMS campaigns support HELP/STOP messages in the local language.
  4. Avoid contacting users on do-not-call or do-not-disturb registries.

For more detailed compliance information, consult with official Jamaican regulatory bodies. By following these guidelines, businesses can maintain positive customer relationships and comply with local laws.