Belarus SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Belarus SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Belarus has a mature mobile market with high SMS adoption rates. The primary mobile operators include A1 Belarus (formerly Velcom), MTS Belarus, and life:) (owned by Turkcell). While OTT messaging apps like Viber and Telegram are popular, SMS remains crucial for business communications and authentication. The mobile market shows a relatively even split between Android and iOS devices, with Android having a slight edge in market share.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Belarus

Belarus supports most standard SMS features including concatenated messages and alphanumeric sender IDs, though two-way messaging capabilities are limited.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Belarus through major SMS providers. This means businesses cannot receive replies to their messages through standard A2P SMS channels.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenation is supported for most sender ID types, though support may vary based on the specific sender ID used.
Message length rules: Standard 160 characters per message segment using GSM-7 encoding.
Encoding considerations: Messages support both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encoding. When using UCS-2 for Cyrillic characters, the message length is limited to 70 characters per segment.

MMS Support

MMS messages are not directly supported in Belarus. Instead, MMS content is automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content. This ensures compatibility while still allowing businesses to share rich media content with their audiences.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is available in Belarus, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching between mobile operators. This feature does not significantly impact SMS delivery or routing as messages are automatically routed to the correct carrier.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Belarus. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in delivery failure, typically generating a 400 response with error code 21614. These messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged for failed attempts.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Belarus

Belarus has specific regulations governing SMS communications, overseen by the Ministry of Communications and Informatization. Companies must comply with local data protection laws and telecommunications regulations when sending SMS messages to Belarus recipients.

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit opt-in consent is mandatory before sending any marketing or non-essential communications to Belarus recipients. Best practices include:

• Maintaining clear records of when and how consent was obtained
• Using double opt-in processes for marketing lists
• Providing clear terms and conditions at the point of consent
• Regularly updating consent records and purging outdated permissions

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

All SMS campaigns must support standard opt-out commands including:

• STOP/СТОП (in both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets)
• HELP/ПОМОЩЬ (for assistance)
• ОТПИСАТЬСЯ (unsubscribe)

Messages should be configured to recognize these commands in both English and Russian/Belarusian to ensure accessibility for all users.

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Belarus does not maintain an official Do Not Call or Do Not Disturb registry. However, businesses should:

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
• Keep records of opted-out numbers for at least 5 years
• Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers

Time Zone Sensitivity

While Belarus doesn't have strict legal time restrictions for SMS sending, best practices include:

• Limiting messages to 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM local time (UTC+3)
• Avoiding messages during national holidays
• Only sending urgent messages (like 2FA codes) outside these hours

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Belarus

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Supported with restrictions
Registration requirements: Pre-registration required for international senders; domestic pre-registration not supported
Sender ID preservation: Yes, but the suffix "by" may be added for domestic senders

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International: Domestic long codes not supported; international long codes available
Sender ID preservation: No, typically overwritten with generic alphanumeric sender ID
Provisioning time: N/A for domestic, immediate for international
Use cases: Best suited for transactional messages and 2FA

Short Codes

Support: Not supported in Belarus
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Belarus maintains strict controls on SMS content. Restricted or prohibited content includes:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content or explicit material
• Unauthorized financial services
• Political messaging without proper authorization
• Cryptocurrency promotions

Content Filtering

Carrier filtering rules include:

• Blocking messages with suspicious URLs
• Filtering messages with specific restricted keywords
• Monitoring for spam-like patterns

To avoid filtering:

• Use registered and approved sender IDs
• Avoid URL shorteners
• Maintain consistent sending patterns
• Keep content professional and clear

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Belarus

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear call-to-actions
• Avoid excessive punctuation or all-caps
• Personalize messages using recipient's name or relevant details

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit marketing messages to 2-3 per week per recipient
• Space out messages to avoid overwhelming users
• Consider Belarus public holidays and cultural events
• Monitor engagement rates to optimize timing

Localization

• Use Russian or Belarusian for primary message content
• Consider dual-language messages for international businesses
• Ensure proper character encoding for Cyrillic text
• Respect local cultural norms and customs

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs immediately
• Send confirmation of successful unsubscribe
• Maintain accurate opt-out records
• Regular audit of opt-out compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test messages across all major Belarus carriers
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics
• Regular testing of opt-out functionality

SMS API integrations for Belarus

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API for sending messages to Belarus. Authentication requires your Account SID and Auth Token.

import { Twilio } from 'twilio';

// Initialize Twilio client with environment variables
const client = new Twilio(
  process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID,
  process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN
);

// Function to send SMS to Belarus
async function sendSmsToBelarus(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    // Ensure phone number is in E.164 format for Belarus (+375)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+375') ? to : `+375${to}`;
    
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: senderId, // Must be pre-registered alphanumeric sender ID
      to: formattedNumber,
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers SMS capabilities with REST API integration. Authentication uses API Token and Service Plan ID.

import axios from 'axios';

class SinchSmsService {
  private readonly apiToken: string;
  private readonly servicePlanId: string;
  private readonly baseUrl: string = 'https://sms.api.sinch.com/xms/v1';

  constructor(apiToken: string, servicePlanId: string) {
    this.apiToken = apiToken;
    this.servicePlanId = servicePlanId;
  }

  async sendSms(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await axios.post(
        `${this.baseUrl}/${this.servicePlanId}/batches`,
        {
          from: senderId,
          to: [to],
          body: message,
        },
        {
          headers: {
            'Authorization': `Bearer ${this.apiToken}`,
            'Content-Type': 'application/json',
          },
        }
      );
      
      console.log('Message sent successfully:', response.data);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to send message:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides SMS API access with straightforward integration for Belarus.

import messagebird from 'messagebird';

class MessageBirdService {
  private client: any;

  constructor(apiKey: string) {
    this.client = messagebird(apiKey);
  }

  sendSms(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<void> {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      // Ensure proper formatting for Belarus numbers
      const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+375') ? to : `+375${to}`;

      this.client.messages.create({
        originator: senderId,
        recipients: [formattedNumber],
        body: message,
        type: 'sms',
      }, (err: any, response: any) => {
        if (err) {
          console.error('Error sending message:', err);
          reject(err);
        } else {
          console.log('Message sent successfully:', response);
          resolve();
        }
      });
    });
  }
}

Plivo

Plivo's SMS API provides reliable message delivery to Belarus with comprehensive delivery tracking.

import plivo from 'plivo';

class PlivoSmsService {
  private client: any;

  constructor(authId: string, authToken: string) {
    this.client = new plivo.Client(authId, authToken);
  }

  async sendSms(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await this.client.messages.create({
        src: senderId, // Registered sender ID
        dst: to, // Destination number in E.164 format
        text: message,
        url_strip_query_params: false,
      });
      
      console.log('Message sent:', response);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to send message:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

Belarus carriers implement the following rate limits:

• Maximum 30 messages per second per sender ID
• Daily quota of 100,000 messages per sender ID
• Maximum 6 message segments per concatenated message

Strategies for managing high volume:

• Implement exponential backoff for retries
• Use message queuing systems (Redis, RabbitMQ)
• Batch messages in groups of 30 or fewer
• Monitor delivery receipts for throttling signals

Error Handling and Reporting

Best practices for error handling:

• Log all API responses and errors
• Implement retry logic for temporary failures
• Monitor delivery receipts
• Track carrier-specific error codes
• Maintain error rate alerts

Recap and Additional Resources

Key takeaways for SMS messaging in Belarus:

• Pre-register alphanumeric sender IDs
• Ensure proper phone number formatting (+375)
• Comply with time window restrictions
• Support both Latin and Cyrillic opt-out commands
• Maintain proper consent records

Next steps:

1. Review the Belarus telecommunications regulations
2. Register sender IDs with chosen SMS provider
3. Implement proper error handling and monitoring
4. Test message delivery across all major carriers

Additional Information:

• Belarus Ministry of Communications
• National Legal Internet Portal
• Telecommunications Industry Guidelines
• Data Protection Requirements