Georgia SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Georgia SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Georgia has a well-developed mobile telecommunications infrastructure with widespread SMS usage. The market is served by major operators including Geocell, Magticom, and Beeline. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Viber are popular, SMS remains a crucial channel for business communications and authentication services. The mobile market shows a balanced mix of Android and iOS devices, with Android having a slight edge in market share.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Georgia

Georgia supports standard SMS features including concatenated messages and alphanumeric sender IDs, though two-way SMS functionality is limited.

Two-way SMS Support

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

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenation is supported for messages exceeding standard length limits.
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 (Unicode) encodings are supported, with GSM-7 being preferred for Latin characters to maximize message length.

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 through linked web pages.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

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

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Georgia. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614) from the SMS API.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Georgia

While Georgia doesn't have specific SMS marketing legislation, businesses must follow general telecommunications regulations overseen by the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC). Best practices align with international standards for SMS marketing and communications.

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit Consent Requirements:

• Obtain clear, written consent before sending marketing messages
• Maintain detailed records of when and how consent was obtained
• Include clear terms of service and privacy policy references
• Specify message frequency and type during opt-in

Best practices for documenting consent:

• Store timestamp and source of opt-in
• Keep records of the specific campaign or service users opted into
• Maintain audit trails of consent changes
• Regular validation of consent database

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• Support for both Georgian and English opt-out keywords is required
• Standard commands include:
  • STOP/შეწყვეტა (Stop)
  • HELP/დახმარება (Help)
  • INFO/ინფორმაცია (Info)
• Messages should be processed in both Latin and Georgian scripts

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Georgia does not maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry. However, businesses should:

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
• Regularly clean contact databases
• Implement automated opt-out processing

Time Zone Sensitivity

Georgia observes GMT+4 time zone (Georgia Standard Time). Recommended messaging hours:

• Weekdays: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM GET
• Weekends: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM GET
• Exceptions: Emergency notifications and critical alerts

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Georgia

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Supported
Registration requirements: Dynamic usage allowed, no pre-registration required
Sender ID preservation: Sender IDs are generally preserved but may be overwritten by carriers for security purposes

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International:

• Domestic long codes not supported
• International long codes supported with limitations

Sender ID preservation: No, international numeric sender IDs are overwritten with generic alpha sender IDs
Provisioning time: 1-2 business days for international numbers
Use cases: Transactional messages, alerts, and notifications

Short Codes

Support: Not currently available in Georgia
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Restricted Industries and Content:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content or services
• Cryptocurrency promotions
• Political campaign messages without proper authorization
• Pharmaceutical promotions

Content Filtering

Known Carrier Filtering Rules:

• Messages containing certain keywords in Georgian or English
• URLs from suspicious domains
• High-frequency sending patterns
• Content resembling spam patterns

Tips to Avoid Blocking:

• Use registered sender IDs
• Maintain consistent sending patterns
• Avoid URL shorteners
• Include clear business identification
• Keep message content professional and relevant

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Georgia

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear call-to-actions
• Use personalization tokens thoughtfully
• Maintain consistent brand voice

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit to 4-5 messages per month per recipient
• Respect Georgian holidays and cultural events
• Avoid sending during Orthodox religious holidays
• Space out messages to prevent recipient fatigue

Localization

• Support both Georgian (primary) and English (secondary) languages
• Use proper Georgian character encoding
• Consider cultural context in message content
• Offer language preference selection during opt-in

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs in real-time
• Maintain centralized opt-out database
• Confirm opt-out with one final message
• Regular audit of opt-out list compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test across major Georgian carriers (Geocell, Magticom, Beeline)
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics
• Regular testing of opt-out functionality
• Monitor for carrier filtering patterns

SMS API integrations for Georgia

Twilio

Twilio provides robust SMS capabilities for sending messages to Georgia. Integration requires your Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Console.

import { Twilio } from 'twilio';

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

// Function to send SMS to Georgia
async function sendSMSToGeorgia(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    // Ensure proper formatting for Georgian numbers
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+995') ? to : `+995${to}`;
    
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: senderId, // Alphanumeric sender ID
      to: formattedNumber,
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers a straightforward REST API for SMS delivery to Georgia, requiring an API Token and Service Plan ID.

import axios from 'axios';

class SinchSMSService {
  private readonly baseUrl: string;
  private readonly apiToken: string;
  private readonly planId: string;

  constructor(apiToken: string, planId: string) {
    this.apiToken = apiToken;
    this.planId = planId;
    this.baseUrl = 'https://sms.api.sinch.com/xms/v1';
  }

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await axios.post(
        `${this.baseUrl}/${this.planId}/batches`,
        {
          from: 'YourBrand', // Alphanumeric sender ID
          to: [to],
          body: message,
        },
        {
          headers: {
            'Content-Type': 'application/json',
            Authorization: `Bearer ${this.apiToken}`,
          },
        }
      );
      
      console.log('Message sent:', response.data.id);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Sinch SMS error:', error);
    }
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides a simple API for sending SMS messages to Georgia with support for delivery reporting.

import messagebird from 'messagebird';

class MessageBirdService {
  private client: any;

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

  sendSMS(to: string, message: string): Promise<void> {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      this.client.messages.create({
        originator: 'YourBrand',
        recipients: [to],
        body: message,
        datacoding: 'unicode', // Support for Georgian characters
      }, (err: any, response: any) => {
        if (err) {
          reject(err);
          return;
        }
        resolve(response);
      });
    });
  }
}

Plivo

Plivo offers comprehensive SMS capabilities with detailed 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): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await this.client.messages.create({
        src: 'YourBrand', // Sender ID
        dst: to,
        text: message,
        url_status_callback: 'https://your-callback-url.com/status',
      });
      
      console.log('Message sent:', response.messageUuid);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Plivo error:', error);
    }
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Default rate limits vary by provider:
  • Twilio: 100 messages/second
  • Sinch: 30 messages/second
  • MessageBird: 60 messages/second
  • Plivo: 50 messages/second

Strategies for Large-Scale Sending:

• Implement queue systems (Redis/RabbitMQ)
• Use batch APIs where available
• Monitor throughput and adjust sending rates
• Implement exponential backoff for retries

Error Handling and Reporting

• Implement comprehensive logging
• Monitor delivery receipts
• Track common error codes:
  • 21614: Invalid number format
  • 30003: Carrier rejection
  • 30007: Carrier filtering
• Store message status updates
• Set up alerting for error thresholds

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways:

• Always use Unicode encoding for Georgian characters
• Implement proper error handling and monitoring
• Follow carrier-specific guidelines
• Maintain proper opt-out mechanisms

Next Steps:

1. Review the Georgian National Communications Commission guidelines
2. Implement proper consent management
3. Set up monitoring and reporting systems
4. Test thoroughly with all major Georgian carriers

Additional Information:

• Georgian National Communications Commission
• Telecommunications Law of Georgia
• SMS Provider Guidelines for Georgia