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Vanuatu SMS Guidelines: Compliance, Message Length, and Two-Way Support

Sending SMS messages in Vanuatu involves specific regulations that businesses must adhere to for compliance and effective message delivery. This guide outlines essential SMS rules for Vanuatu, including two-way SMS support, message length restrictions, and compliance requirements.

Two-Way SMS Support

In Vanuatu, two-way SMS (allowing recipients to reply) is not supported. Businesses should not expect replies from users and must seek alternative channels for customer interaction.

Number Portability

Number portability, enabling users to keep their phone numbers when changing networks, is unavailable in Vanuatu. This limitation can impact customer retention strategies, as users must change numbers when switching providers.

Message Length and Concatenation

When sending SMS in Vanuatu, message length varies with encoding. However, concatenated message support is not available. Concatenation splits long messages into multiple segments, reassembling them on the recipient's device. Without this feature, businesses must ensure messages fit within the standard SMS character limit to prevent truncation.

MMS Support

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is not fully supported in Vanuatu. MMS messages are converted to SMS with an embedded URL, meaning images or videos are sent as text messages with links to the content.

Sending SMS to Landline Numbers

Sending SMS to landline numbers in Vanuatu is not supported. If attempted, the Sent REST API will return a 400 response with error code 21614, and the message will not be logged or charged.

Compliance Considerations

Compliance is vital when sending SMS in Vanuatu. Businesses should consult legal counsel to ensure messaging campaigns comply with local laws. Here are some best practices:

  • Get Opt-In Consent: Obtain explicit consent from users before sending any messages, particularly marketing or non-essential communications.
  • Respect Time Zones: Send messages during the recipient's daytime hours unless urgent.
  • Support HELP/STOP Messages: Ensure SMS campaigns support HELP and STOP keywords, understood in the local language.
  • Do-Not-Call Registries: Avoid contacting users on do-not-call or do-not-disturb lists.

By following these guidelines, businesses can ensure their SMS campaigns in Vanuatu are compliant and effective.

Conclusion

Understanding the SMS landscape in Vanuatu requires awareness of the limitations on two-way SMS, message length, and compliance rules. Although two-way SMS and number portability are unsupported, businesses can still execute effective SMS campaigns by keeping messages concise and adhering to local regulations. Always secure recipient consent and follow compliance best practices to avoid legal issues.

For more information on SMS regulations, visit the Vanuatu Telecommunications and Radiocommunications Regulator official website.