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Marshall Islands SMS Guidelines: Best Practices and Compliance

When sending SMS messages to users in the Marshall Islands, adhering to specific guidelines is crucial for successful delivery and local regulation compliance. This article covers key considerations, including message length, two-way SMS support, and compliance best practices.

Locale Overview

  • Locale Name: Marshall Islands
  • Region: Oceania
  • ISO Code: MH
  • Mobile Country Code: 551
  • Dialing Code: +692

The Marshall Islands, located in Oceania, uses the ISO code "MH" with a mobile country code of 551 and an international dialing code of +692.

Two-Way SMS and Number Portability

  • Two-way SMS Supported: No
  • Number Portability Available: No

Two-way SMS is not supported in the Marshall Islands, meaning users cannot reply directly to messages. Additionally, number portability is unavailable, preventing users from retaining their numbers when switching carriers.

Message Length and Concatenation

  • Concatenated Message Support: Yes (subject to character encoding)
  • Message Length: Varies with encoding; longer messages split into segments

Be aware of message length limitations when sending SMS to the Marshall Islands. Messages exceeding a certain character count will be split into segments and reassembled at the recipient's end, a process known as "concatenation." This behavior varies based on sender ID type and character encoding.

MMS Support

  • MMS Support: Converted to SMS with embedded URL

MMS is not fully supported in the Marshall Islands. Instead, MMS messages are converted to SMS with an embedded URL, allowing recipients to access multimedia content via the link.

Sending SMS to Landline Numbers

  • Sending SMS to Landline Numbers: Not supported

SMS cannot be sent to landline numbers in the Marshall Islands. Attempting to do so will result in a 400 error response with error code 21614, and the message will not be logged or charged.

Compliance Considerations

Ensuring compliance with local laws and best practices is essential when sending SMS messages to users in the Marshall Islands. Businesses are advised to consult legal counsel for compliance assurance. Here are some general guidelines:

  • Opt-in Consent: Obtain explicit opt-in consent from users before sending communications, particularly for marketing or non-essential messages.
  • Respect Local Time Zones: Send messages during a user’s daytime hours unless urgent.
  • HELP/STOP Support: Ensure SMS campaigns support HELP and STOP messages in the local language, allowing users to opt-out or request assistance easily.
  • Do-Not-Call Registries: Avoid contacting users listed on do-not-call or do-not-disturb registries.

By following these best practices, your SMS campaigns can be both effective and compliant with local regulations.

For more information on international SMS guidelines, visit the International Telecommunication Union.