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Solomon Islands SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Solomon Islands SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Solomon Islands
ISO code:
SB
Region
Oceania
Mobile country code (MCC)
540
Dialing Code
+677
Market Conditions: The Solomon Islands has a growing mobile market with SMS remaining a crucial communication channel due to its reliability and widespread accessibility. While smartphone adoption is increasing, traditional SMS continues to be preferred for business communications and notifications due to limited internet infrastructure in rural areas.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands supports basic SMS functionality with concatenated messaging support, while some advanced features like two-way SMS have limitations.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in the Solomon Islands through major SMS providers. This means businesses should design their SMS strategies around one-way communications only.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenated messaging is fully supported in the Solomon Islands. Message length rules: Messages are limited to 160 characters before splitting occurs. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encoding are supported, with UCS-2 messages limited to 70 characters per segment.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This ensures compatibility across all devices 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 the Solomon Islands. This means phone numbers remain tied to their original mobile network operators, which helps ensure reliable message delivery routing.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in the Solomon Islands. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and a 400 response error (code 21614) from SMS provider APIs.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Solomon Islands
The Telecommunications Commission of Solomon Islands (TCSI) oversees telecommunications regulations. While specific SMS marketing laws are limited, businesses should follow international best practices and general consumer protection guidelines.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Required: You must obtain and document clear opt-in consent before sending marketing messages. Best practices include:
Maintaining detailed records of how and when consent was obtained
Using clear language explaining what messages the user will receive
Providing transparent information about message frequency
Implementing double opt-in for marketing campaigns
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
While not strictly required by local law, implementing standard opt-out keywords is strongly recommended:
Support for "STOP" and "HELP" commands in English
Consider supporting "CANCEL" and "END" as alternative opt-out keywords
Respond promptly to opt-out requests with confirmation messages
Support for Solomon Islands Pijin language keywords may be beneficial
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
The Solomon Islands does not maintain an official Do Not Call registry. However, businesses should:
Maintain their own suppression lists
Honor opt-out requests immediately
Keep records of opted-out numbers for at least 12 months
Regularly clean contact lists to remove inactive numbers
Time Zone Sensitivity
The Solomon Islands observes SBT (UTC+11). Best practices include:
Sending messages between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM SBT
Avoiding messages during religious holidays and Sundays
Limiting urgent messages outside these hours to genuine emergencies
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Solomon Islands
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required, dynamic usage supported Sender ID preservation: Sender IDs are generally preserved as sent
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic long codes not supported
International long codes fully supported
Sender ID preservation: Original sender ID is preserved for international long codes Provisioning time: Typically immediate for international long codes Use cases: Ideal for transactional messages and two-factor authentication
Short Codes
Support: Short codes are not currently supported in the Solomon Islands Provisioning time: N/A Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
The Solomon Islands maintains general content restrictions aligned with cultural and religious values:
Gambling and betting content prohibited
Adult content strictly forbidden
Financial services must include clear disclaimers
Healthcare messages must avoid medical claims
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Rules:
Messages containing certain keywords may be blocked
URLs should be from reputable domains
Avoid excessive punctuation and all-caps text
Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:
Use clear, professional language
Avoid spam trigger words
Include company name in messages
Keep URLs short and recognizable
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Solomon Islands
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-actions
Identify your business in each message
Use personalization thoughtfully (e.g., recipient's name)
Sending Frequency and Timing
Limit marketing messages to 2-4 per month
Space messages at least 48 hours apart
Respect local holidays and weekends
Consider seasonal events and weather patterns
Localization
Primary languages: English and Solomon Islands Pijin
Consider bilingual messages for wider reach
Use simple, clear language
Respect local cultural nuances
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Send opt-out confirmation messages
Maintain accurate opt-out records
Regular audit of opt-out compliance
Testing and Monitoring
Test messages across major local carriers
Monitor delivery rates closely
Track engagement metrics
Regular testing of opt-out functionality
SMS API integrations for Solomon Islands
Twilio
Twilio provides reliable SMS delivery to the Solomon Islands through their REST API. 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);asyncfunctionsendSMS(to:string, message:string){try{// Format phone number to E.164 format for Solomon Islandsconst formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+677')? to :`+677${to}`;const response =await client.messages.create({ body: message, to: formattedNumber, from: process.env.TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER,// Your Twilio number or approved sender ID// Optional parameters for delivery tracking statusCallback:'https://your-webhook.com/status'});console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);return response;}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers comprehensive SMS capabilities for the Solomon Islands market: