Check phone number activity, carrier details, line type and more.
Kyrgyzstan SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Kyrgyzstan SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Kyrgyzstan
ISO code:
KG
Region
Europe
Mobile country code (MCC)
437
Dialing Code
+996
Market Conditions: Kyrgyzstan has a growing mobile market with several key operators including Beeline, Megacom, and O!. SMS remains a vital communication channel, particularly for business messaging and authentication services. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram are popular for personal communication, SMS maintains its importance for business-critical communications due to its reliability and universal reach.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan supports most standard SMS features including concatenated messages and alphanumeric sender IDs, though with some carrier-specific limitations.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Kyrgyzstan according to current network capabilities. Businesses should plan their messaging strategies around one-way communication only.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is supported by most carriers, with the notable exception of Beeline. Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, 70 characters for UCS-2 encoding. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with UCS-2 recommended for messages containing Cyrillic characters.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This ensures compatibility across all networks while still allowing rich media content to be shared through linked web pages.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Kyrgyzstan. This means phone numbers remain tied to their original carrier, which helps ensure more reliable message routing.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a 400 response error (code 21614), and no charges will be incurred.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Kyrgyzstan
As of March 2024, Kyrgyzstan has implemented new rules for mobile communication services, focusing on user registration and transparency. While specific SMS marketing regulations are still evolving, businesses must follow general best practices and international standards for messaging compliance.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Obtain clear, documented opt-in consent before sending any marketing messages
Maintain detailed records of when and how consent was obtained
Include clear terms of service and privacy policy information during opt-in
Provide transparent information about message frequency and content type
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Support for HELP and STOP commands is required in both English and Russian
Common local language keywords include:
STOP/СТОП - for opting out
HELP/ПОМОЩЬ - for assistance
INFO/ИНФО - for service information
Messages should be processed in both Latin and Cyrillic characters
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
While Kyrgyzstan does not maintain an official Do Not Call registry, businesses should:
Maintain their own suppression lists
Honor opt-out requests immediately
Document all opt-out requests and their processing dates
Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers
Time Zone Sensitivity
Kyrgyzstan follows GMT+6 timezone (KGT). Best practices include:
Sending messages between 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time
Avoiding messages during major holidays and weekends unless urgent
Considering Ramadan timing adjustments for relevant audiences
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Kyrgyzstan
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Fully supported across networks Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved as specified Dynamic usage: Supported, allowing flexible sender ID changes
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic long codes not supported
International long codes supported but with limitations
Sender ID preservation: No, international numbers may be replaced with generic alphanumeric IDs
Use cases:
Transactional messaging
Two-factor authentication
Customer support communications
Short Codes
Support: Limited availability Provisioning time: Not specified in current regulations Use cases: Not commonly used for standard messaging campaigns
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Restricted Industries and Content:
Gambling and betting services
Adult content or services
Unauthorized financial services
Political campaign messages without proper authorization
Cryptocurrency promotions
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Rules:
Messages containing certain keywords may be blocked
URLs should be from reputable domains
Avoid excessive punctuation and special characters
Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:
Use clear, professional language
Avoid URL shorteners when possible
Include company name in sender ID
Maintain consistent sending patterns
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Kyrgyzstan
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-action
Use personalization tokens thoughtfully
Maintain consistent branding across messages
Sending Frequency and Timing
Limit to 2-3 messages per week per recipient
Respect local holidays and cultural events
Maintain consistent sending schedules
Avoid sending during off-hours
Localization
Support both Russian and Kyrgyz languages
Use proper character encoding for local languages
Consider cultural nuances in message content
Offer language preference selection during opt-in
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Confirm opt-out requests with acknowledgment message
Regular audit of opt-out list compliance
Testing and Monitoring
Test across all major carriers (Beeline, Megacom, O!)
Monitor delivery rates by carrier
Track engagement metrics
Regular testing of opt-out functionality
SMS API integrations for Kyrgyzstan
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API for sending messages to Kyrgyzstan. Here's how to implement it:
import{ Twilio }from'twilio';// Initialize client with your credentialsconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);// Function to send SMS to KyrgyzstanasyncfunctionsendSMSToKyrgyzstan( to:string, message:string, senderId:string):Promise<void>{try{// Ensure proper formatting for Kyrgyzstan numbersconst formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+996')? to :`+996${to}`;const response =await client.messages.create({ body: message, from: senderId,// Alphanumeric 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 direct carrier connections in Kyrgyzstan. Implementation example: