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SMS Guidelines for Turkey: Compliance, Message Length, and Delivery Considerations

When sending SMS messages to Turkey, businesses must adhere to specific guidelines and compliance requirements to ensure successful delivery. This guide covers essential aspects such as message length, content restrictions, and compliance requirements.

Locale Overview: Turkey

Turkey, part of the Middle East & Africa region, uses the ISO code "TR" and mobile country code (MCC) 286. The dialing code for sending SMS to Turkey is +90. Businesses should be aware of the following technical and compliance requirements when communicating with Turkish mobile networks.

Two-Way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Turkey, meaning businesses cannot receive replies via SMS. Alternative communication channels should be used for feedback or customer interaction.

Message Length and Concatenation

SMS messages in Turkey are limited to 160 characters. Exceeding this limit results in message segmentation and reassembly on the recipient's device, known as message concatenation. Note that concatenation may not be supported for certain sender ID types, and variations in message splitting can occur based on character encoding.

MMS Support

Turkey does not support Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). Attempting to send an MMS will convert it into an SMS with an embedded URL, potentially affecting user experience.

Sending SMS to Landline Numbers

Avoid sending SMS to landline numbers in Turkey. The Sent REST API returns a 400 error response with error code 21614 if an SMS is sent to a landline. The message will not appear in logs, and your account will not be charged.

Compliance Considerations

Compliance is crucial when sending SMS messages to Turkey. Key points include:

  • Sender ID Registration: Turkish carriers filter traffic from unregistered Alphanumeric Sender IDs. Pre-register your Alphanumeric Sender ID to ensure delivery.
  • Prohibited Content: Content related to gambling, politics, and religion is prohibited. Non-compliance can lead to message blocking or financial penalties.
  • Promotional Traffic Ban: Since February 15, 2021, promotional traffic is banned. Violations may result in message blocking, blacklisting of Sender ID, and penalties.
  • M2M Numbers: Delivery to Machine-to-Machine (M2M) numbers is on a best-effort basis, with no guarantee of success.

Best Practices for SMS Delivery in Turkey

To ensure successful SMS delivery in Turkey, follow these best practices:

  1. Pre-register your Sender ID: Register your Alphanumeric Sender ID with Turkish carriers to avoid filtering.
  2. Avoid prohibited content: Refrain from sending messages related to gambling, politics, or religion.
  3. Do not send promotional traffic: Focus on transactional or informational SMS content.
  4. Validate phone numbers: Ensure numbers are mobile, not landline, to avoid errors.

Conclusion

Sending SMS messages to Turkey requires attention to both technical and compliance factors. Adhering to guidelines such as maintaining message length, registering your Sender ID, and avoiding prohibited content ensures compliance with Turkish regulations. For further guidance, consult with qualified legal counsel.

For more information on SMS regulations, visit the Turkish Telecommunications Authority website.