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Burkina Faso SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Burkina Faso SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Burkina Faso
ISO code:
BF
Region
Middle East & Africa
Mobile country code (MCC)
613
Dialing Code
+226
Market Conditions: Burkina Faso's mobile market is dominated by major operators like Orange Burkina Faso, with a growing focus on secure A2P SMS communications. The market has seen increased adoption of mobile money services, making SMS a critical channel for financial notifications and authentication. While OTT messaging apps are gaining popularity in urban areas, SMS remains the most reliable communication method due to its universal reach and network stability.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso supports standard SMS features with some limitations, focusing primarily on one-way messaging capabilities with support for concatenated messages and alphanumeric sender IDs.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Burkina Faso through standard SMS providers.
No additional requirements are applicable since the feature is unavailable.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is supported, though availability may vary by sender ID type. Message length rules: Standard SMS length of 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, 70 characters for Unicode. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with messages automatically split and rejoined based on the encoding used.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. Best Practice: When sending media content, ensure the URL is shortened and clearly labeled for recipient trust.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Burkina Faso.
This simplifies message routing as numbers remain tied to their original carriers.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported.
Attempts to send to landline numbers will result in a 400 response with error code 21614, and no charges will be incurred.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Burkina Faso
The Autorité de Régulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes (ARCEP) oversees telecommunications regulations in Burkina Faso. All SMS communications must comply with ARCEP guidelines and local data protection laws. The regulatory framework emphasizes consumer protection and transparent communication practices.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Written or digital confirmation required before sending marketing messages
Clear disclosure of message frequency and purpose
Maintain detailed records of opt-in dates and methods
Separate consent needed for different types of communications
Best Practices for Consent Collection:
Use double opt-in verification
Provide clear terms and conditions
Document consent source and timestamp
Enable easy access to privacy policies
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
STOP, ARRET, and AIDE must be supported in both French and local languages
Commands must be processed within 24 hours
Auto-reply confirmations required in French
Keywords should be case-insensitive
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
While Burkina Faso doesn't maintain an official DNC registry, businesses must:
Maintain internal opt-out lists
Honor opt-out requests immediately
Keep suppression lists updated across all campaigns
Urgent notifications: 24/7 permitted for critical updates
Avoid sending during major religious observances
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Burkina Faso
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported Registration requirements: No pre-registration required, dynamic usage supported Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved as specified
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic long codes not supported
International long codes fully supported
Sender ID preservation: Yes, original sender ID preserved Provisioning time: Immediate to 24 hours Use cases: Ideal for transactional messages and two-factor authentication
Short Codes
Support: Not supported in Burkina Faso Provisioning time: N/A Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Prohibited Content:
Gambling and betting services
Adult content or explicit material
Unauthorized financial services
Political campaign messages without proper authorization
Discriminatory or hate speech
Regulated Industries:
Financial services require ARCEP approval
Healthcare messages must comply with privacy regulations
Educational institutions need proper accreditation
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Rules:
URLs must be from approved domains
Message content screened for prohibited terms
Character limit enforcement
Spam pattern detection
Tips to Avoid Blocking:
Avoid excessive punctuation
Use approved URL shorteners
Maintain consistent sending patterns
Include clear sender identification
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Burkina Faso
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-actions
Use personalization tokens thoughtfully
Maintain consistent branding
Sending Frequency and Timing
Limit to 4-5 messages per month per recipient
Respect religious observances (especially Ramadan)
Consider local holidays and weekends
Space messages appropriately
Localization
Primary language: French
Support for Moore and Dioula where appropriate
Consider regional dialects for targeted campaigns
Use clear, simple language
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Confirm opt-out status via SMS
Regular audit of opt-out lists
Testing and Monitoring
Test across major carriers (Orange, Telmob)
Monitor delivery rates daily
Track engagement metrics
Regular content and compliance audits
SMS API integrations for Burkina Faso
Twilio
Twilio provides robust SMS capabilities for Burkina Faso through their REST API. Authentication uses account SID and auth token credentials.
Key Parameters:
from: Alphanumeric sender ID or long code
to: Recipient number in E.164 format (+226XXXXXXXX)
body: Message content (supports Unicode)
import*as Twilio from'twilio';// Initialize Twilio clientconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID,// Your Account SID process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN// Your Auth Token);// Function to send SMS to Burkina FasoasyncfunctionsendSMSToBurkinaFaso( recipientNumber:string, messageBody:string):Promise<void>{try{// Send message using Twilioconst message =await client.messages.create({ body: messageBody, from:'YourCompany',// Your approved sender ID to:`+226${recipientNumber}`// Burkina Faso prefix});console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${message.sid}`);}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);}}
Sinch
Sinch offers direct carrier connections in Burkina Faso. Authentication uses API token and service plan ID.