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Montenegro SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Montenegro SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Montenegro
ISO code:
ME
Region
Europe
Mobile country code (MCC)
297
Dialing Code
+382
Market Conditions: Montenegro has a mature mobile telecommunications market with high mobile penetration rates. The country's primary mobile operators include T-Mobile Montenegro, Telenor Montenegro, and m:tel. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Viber are popular among users, SMS remains a crucial channel for business communications and authentication services due to its reliability and universal reach.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Montenegro
Montenegro supports basic SMS functionality with some limitations on advanced features, making it important to understand the specific capabilities and restrictions when implementing SMS services.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Montenegro according to current network capabilities. This means businesses should design their SMS strategies around one-way communications and implement alternative channels for receiving customer responses.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Concatenated messages are not supported in Montenegro. Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 characters for Unicode. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, but messages must remain within single-message length limits.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This conversion ensures that rich media content can still be shared with recipients, though not in the native MMS format. For optimal delivery, it's recommended to use short URLs and include clear instructions for accessing the content.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Montenegro. This means phone numbers remain tied to their original mobile network operators, which can simplify message routing and delivery processes.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in Montenegro. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and a 400 response with error code 21614. The message will not appear in logs, and no charges will be incurred.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Montenegro
Montenegro's SMS communications are governed by the Law on Protection of Personal Data (LPPI), which, while not fully aligned with GDPR, incorporates similar principles for data protection and privacy. The Agency for Personal Data Protection and Free Access to Information serves as the primary regulatory authority overseeing data privacy compliance.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Written or electronic consent must be obtained before sending marketing messages
Consent records should be maintained and easily accessible
Purpose of communication must be clearly stated during opt-in
Consent language should be clear and unambiguous
Best Practices for Documentation:
Store timestamp and source of consent
Maintain detailed records of opt-in methods
Regular audit of consent database
Enable double opt-in for additional security
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
STOP, CANCEL, END, and UNSUBSCRIBE must be supported
HELP or INFO commands should provide service information
Commands should be recognized in both Latin and Cyrillic scripts
Support both Montenegrin and English language responses
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Montenegro does not maintain an official Do Not Call registry. However, businesses should:
Maintain internal suppression lists
Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
Document all opt-out requests
Regularly clean contact databases
Time Zone Sensitivity
Montenegro observes Central European Time (CET/CEST). While there are no strict legal restrictions on SMS timing:
Recommended sending window: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM local time
Avoid sending during: Public holidays, weekends (unless urgent)
Emergency messages: Can be sent 24/7 if truly urgent
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Montenegro
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved as sent Dynamic usage: Supported with no pre-registration needed
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic: Fully supported
International: Limited support
Sender ID preservation: Yes, original sender ID is preserved Provisioning time: 1-2 business days for domestic numbers Use cases:
Two-factor authentication
Transactional messages
Customer support
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Montenegro Provisioning time: N/A Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Restricted Industries:
Gambling and betting services
Adult content
Cryptocurrency promotions
Unauthorized financial services
Regulated Industries:
Banking (requires regulatory approval)
Healthcare (patient privacy requirements)
Insurance (compliance with financial regulations)
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Filters:
URLs from suspicious domains
Excessive punctuation
All-capital messages
Multiple consecutive spaces
Best Practices:
Avoid URL shorteners
Use clear, professional language
Limit special characters
Include clear sender identification
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Montenegro
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters
Include clear call-to-action
Use personalization tokens wisely
Maintain consistent brand voice
Sending Frequency and Timing
Maximum 2-3 messages per week per recipient
Respect local holidays and cultural events
Implement frequency capping
Monitor engagement metrics
Localization
Primary language: Montenegrin
Consider bilingual messages (Montenegrin/English)
Support both Latin and Cyrillic scripts
Respect local cultural nuances
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Confirm opt-out with final message
Regular database cleaning
Testing and Monitoring
Test across all major carriers
Monitor delivery rates
Track engagement metrics
Regular A/B testing of content
SMS API Integrations for Montenegro
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API that supports messaging to Montenegro through their global network.
Authentication & Setup:
Account SID and Auth Token required
Region selection: 'eu1' recommended for Montenegro
Supports E.164 number formatting
import*as Twilio from'twilio';// Initialize Twilio clientconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID,// Your Account SID process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN// Your Auth Token);// Send SMS to MontenegroasyncfunctionsendSMSToMontenegro(){try{const message =await client.messages.create({ body:'Your message in Latin/Cyrillic script', from:'YOUR_TWILIO_NUMBER',// Your Twilio phone number to:'+38269123456'// Montenegro number in E.164 format});console.log(`Message sent successfully: ${message.sid}`);return message;}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers direct operator connections in Montenegro with high delivery rates.
Authentication & Setup:
Service Plan ID and API Token required
EU region endpoint
Supports alphanumeric sender IDs
import{ Sms }from'@sinch/sdk-core';// Initialize Sinch clientconst smsClient =newSms({ servicePlanId:'YOUR_SERVICE_PLAN_ID', apiToken:'YOUR_API_TOKEN'});// Send SMS using SinchasyncfunctionsendSinchSMS(){try{const response =await smsClient.batches.send({ from:'YourBrand',// Alphanumeric sender ID to:['+38269123456'],// Montenegro number body:'Your message here', delivery_report:'summary'// Get delivery status});console.log(`Batch ID: ${response.id}`);return response;}catch(error){console.error('Sinch SMS Error:', error);throw error;}}
Bird
Bird's API provides straightforward integration for Montenegro messaging.