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SMS Guidelines for Mexico: Compliance, Restrictions, and Best Practices

Overview of SMS in Mexico

Sending SMS in Mexico involves adhering to specific technical and legal requirements. This guide covers essential aspects such as two-way SMS support, message length, and content restrictions to ensure compliance with local regulations.

Two-way SMS and Number Portability

In Mexico, two-way SMS is available, allowing interactive text conversations. Additionally, number portability lets users keep their numbers when changing mobile carriers.

Message Length and Concatenation

The standard SMS message length is 160 ASCII characters. Messages exceeding this limit are split into segments and reassembled on the recipient's device. Note that concatenation might not work with certain sender IDs, and splitting varies by character encoding.

MMS Support

MMS is not natively supported in Mexico. Instead, MMS messages convert to SMS with a URL for multimedia access.

SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landlines is unsupported in Mexico. Attempts will result in a 400 error (code 21614), with no message logging or charges.

Dial Plan in Mexico

Mexico's dial plan has been updated. When sending SMS, omit the '1' after the country code (+52) and use the 10-digit subscriber number, e.g., +525512345678.

Compliance and Best Practices

Ensuring compliance with local SMS regulations is crucial. Key considerations include:

  • Political Messaging: Avoid using SMS for marketing or research during Mexican elections. Numbers promoting political content will be blocked.
  • Marketing and A2P Traffic: Refrain from using Mexican numbers for marketing or A2P traffic. Content like URLs and brand names may be blocked.
  • Prohibited Content: SMS related to firearms, gambling, adult content, loans, lead generation, Text 2 Pay, controlled substances, cannabis, and alcohol is prohibited.
  • Timing Restrictions: Avoid sending messages between 9 PM and 9 AM. Prefer daytime communication unless urgent.

General Best Practices

To ensure compliance and efficiency, follow these best practices:

  1. Obtain Opt-in Consent: Secure consent from users before sending communications, especially for marketing.
  2. Support HELP/STOP Messages: Ensure SMS campaigns support HELP/STOP commands in the local language.
  3. Respect Do-Not-Call Registries: Avoid contacting users on do-not-call or do-not-disturb lists.

Conclusion

SMS messaging in Mexico is highly regulated, particularly for marketing and political content. Adhering to these guidelines helps businesses maintain compliance and foster positive customer relationships. Always consult legal experts to ensure alignment with local laws and regulations.

For more information on Mexican telecommunications regulations, visit the official government website.