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Belgium SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Belgium SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Belgium
ISO code:
BE
Region
Europe
Mobile country code (MCC)
206
Dialing Code
+32
Market Conditions: Belgium has a mature mobile market with high SMS adoption rates. The country's three main mobile operators - Proximus, Orange Belgium, and BASE (owned by Telenet) - provide comprehensive coverage across the region. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are popular, SMS remains a crucial channel for business communications, particularly for authentication, notifications, and marketing messages. The market shows a relatively even split between Android and iOS users, with both platforms well-represented in the Belgian market.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Belgium
Belgium supports a comprehensive range of SMS features including two-way messaging, concatenated messages, and number portability, making it a robust market for business messaging.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is fully supported in Belgium, allowing businesses to engage in interactive messaging with customers. There are no specific restrictions on two-way messaging, making it ideal for customer service and engagement scenarios.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is fully supported across Belgian networks. Message length rules: Standard SMS length of 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, or 70 characters for Unicode (UCS-2) encoding. Messages exceeding these limits are automatically concatenated. Encoding considerations: GSM-7 is recommended for standard Latin alphabet messages, while UCS-2 should be used for messages containing special characters or non-Latin alphabets.
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. Best practice is to use short URLs and ensure content is mobile-optimized.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is fully available in Belgium, allowing users to keep their numbers when switching carriers. This feature doesn't significantly impact message delivery or routing as the system automatically handles carrier identification.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Belgium. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in delivery failure, and the API will return a 400 response with error code 21614. These messages won't appear in logs and won't incur charges.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Belgium
Belgium follows strict GDPR requirements and telecommunications regulations overseen by the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT). All SMS marketing must comply with both Belgian telecommunications law and EU data protection regulations.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Written or digital consent must be obtained before sending marketing messages
Consent must be freely given, specific, and informed
Keep detailed records of when and how consent was obtained
Double opt-in is recommended for marketing campaigns
Best Practices for Consent:
Use clear, unambiguous language when requesting consent
Specify the types of messages recipients will receive
Document consent timestamp, source, and IP address
Regularly clean and update consent records
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Required Keywords:
STOP/ARRÊTER/STOPPEN (multilingual support required)
AIDE/HELP/HULP
All keywords must be processed in both uppercase and lowercase
Commands must be supported in French, Dutch, and English
Language Considerations:
Support all three official languages (French, Dutch, German)
Include language preference in opt-in process
Provide opt-out instructions in the recipient's preferred language
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Belgium maintains the "Ne m'appelez plus/Bel-me-niet-meer" registry for telemarketing, but this primarily applies to voice calls. However, best practices include:
Maintaining internal suppression lists
Immediate processing of opt-out requests (within 24 hours)
Regular database cleaning to remove unsubscribed numbers
Proactive filtering of known opted-out numbers
Time Zone Sensitivity
Belgium observes Central European Time (CET/CEST). While there are no strict legal time restrictions for SMS:
Recommended sending window: 08:00 - 20:00 CET
Avoid sending on: Sundays and national holidays
Emergency messages: Can be sent 24/7 if truly urgent
Best practice: Schedule campaigns between 10:00 - 18:00 on business days
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Belgium
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported Registration requirements: No pre-registration required Sender ID preservation: Sender IDs are typically overwritten with shortcodes for improved deliverability
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic: Fully supported
International: Supported but with potential delivery limitations
Sender ID preservation:
Domestic: Yes
International: No, typically overwritten
Provisioning time: 1-3 business days
Use cases: Ideal for two-way communication, customer service, and transactional messages
Short Codes
Support: Available through major carriers Provisioning time: 8-12 weeks for dedicated shortcodes Use cases:
High-volume marketing campaigns
Two-factor authentication
Customer loyalty programs
Emergency alerts
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Prohibited Content and Industries:
Gambling and betting services
Unauthorized financial services
Adult content
Cryptocurrency promotions without proper authorization
Unauthorized pharmaceutical products
Regulated Industries:
Financial services require regulatory disclaimers
Healthcare messages must comply with privacy regulations
Insurance products need clear terms and conditions
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Filtering Rules:
URLs must be from whitelisted domains
No URL shorteners allowed
Maximum of one URL per message
No excessive capitalization or special characters
Tips to Avoid Blocking:
Use clear, consistent sender IDs
Maintain regular sending patterns
Avoid spam trigger words
Keep URL count to minimum
Use approved URL domains only
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Belgium
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-action
Personalize using recipient's name or preferences
Maintain consistent sending patterns
Sending Frequency and Timing
Maximum 4-5 marketing messages per month per recipient
Respect business hours and time zones
Avoid sending during major holidays
Space out messages to prevent recipient fatigue
Localization
Offer content in French, Dutch, and German
Allow language preference selection
Use appropriate regional formatting for dates and numbers
Consider cultural sensitivities and local customs
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Include opt-out instructions in every marketing message
Confirm opt-out with one final message
Testing and Monitoring
Test across all major Belgian carriers
Monitor delivery rates by carrier
Track engagement metrics
Regular A/B testing of message content
Monitor and analyze opt-out reasons
SMS API integrations for Belgium
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API with excellent support for Belgian numbers. Authentication uses account SID and auth token credentials.
Key Parameters:
from: Your Twilio phone number (must be in E.164 format)
to: Recipient's Belgian number (must start with +32)
body: Message content (supports Unicode)
import{ Twilio }from'twilio';// Initialize client with environment variablesconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);asyncfunctionsendSMSBelgium( to:string, message:string):Promise<void>{try{// Send message using Twilio clientconst response =await client.messages.create({ body: message, from: process.env.TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER,// Your Twilio number to:`+32${to.replace(/\D/g,'')}`// Format number to E.164});console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers comprehensive SMS capabilities for Belgium through their REST API. Authentication uses API token and service plan ID.