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Guatemala SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Guatemala SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Guatemala
ISO code:
GT
Region
Central America
Mobile country code (MCC)
704
Dialing Code
+502
Market Conditions: Guatemala has a growing mobile market with increasing SMS usage for both personal and business communications. The country's mobile landscape is dominated by three major operators: Tigo, Claro, and Movistar. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are popular in urban areas, SMS remains crucial for business communications and reaching rural populations where data connectivity may be limited. Android devices dominate the market, accounting for approximately 85% of mobile devices.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Guatemala
Guatemala offers basic SMS functionality with some limitations on advanced features, focusing primarily on one-way messaging capabilities for business communications.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Guatemala through standard A2P channels. Businesses looking to implement interactive messaging solutions should consider alternative communication methods or work with local aggregators for specialized solutions.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Concatenated messaging is not officially supported in Guatemala. Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 characters for Unicode. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with GSM-7 recommended for optimal delivery and cost-effectiveness.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This conversion ensures message delivery while providing a way to share rich media content. Best practice is to use URL shorteners and ensure media content is mobile-optimized.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Guatemala. This means phone numbers remain tied to their original carrier, which helps ensure more reliable message routing and delivery.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Guatemala. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in delivery failure and may trigger error responses from the API (error code 21614 for Twilio, for example).
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Guatemala
Guatemala's SMS regulations are governed by the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SIT). While specific SMS marketing laws are still evolving, businesses must adhere to general consumer protection laws and telecommunications regulations. The primary regulatory framework focuses on protecting consumer rights and preventing spam.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Written or digital confirmation required before sending marketing messages
Clear disclosure of message frequency and content type
Documentation of consent must be maintained for at least 2 years
Consent records should include timestamp, source, and scope of permission
Best Practices for Obtaining Consent:
Use double opt-in verification
Provide clear terms and conditions
Maintain detailed consent logs
Regular consent refresh campaigns recommended every 12 months
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
STOP, CANCELAR, and NO must be supported in both English and Spanish
AYUDA (HELP) responses should provide service information in Spanish
Keywords must be case-insensitive
Response time to opt-out requests should be immediate
Confirmation messages should be sent in the user's preferred language
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Guatemala does not maintain an official DND registry. However, businesses should:
Maintain their own suppression lists
Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
Implement automated opt-out processing
Regularly clean contact lists
Share opt-out lists across campaigns and platforms
Time Zone Sensitivity
Guatemala follows Central Time (UTC-6). While no strict time restrictions exist, recommended sending hours are:
Weekdays: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM CT
Weekends: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM CT
Holidays: Avoid unless urgent
Emergency messages: Can be sent 24/7
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Guatemala
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported with limitations
Registration requirements: No pre-registration required
Sender ID preservation: Not guaranteed - may be overwritten with random domestic longcode
Best practices: Use consistent sender IDs across campaigns
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic long codes not supported
International long codes fully supported
Sender ID preservation: No - typically overwritten
Provisioning time: 1-2 business days
Use cases:
Transactional messages
Two-factor authentication
Customer support communications
Short Codes
Support: Not currently available in Guatemala
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 pharmaceutical promotions
Political campaign messages without proper authorization
Fraudulent or misleading content
Regulated Industries:
Financial services require additional disclaimers
Healthcare messages must comply with privacy regulations
Insurance products need clear terms and conditions
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Filters:
URLs from suspicious domains
Multiple exclamation marks or all-caps text
High-frequency identical messages
Messages containing certain restricted keywords
Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:
Use approved URL shorteners
Maintain consistent sending patterns
Avoid excessive punctuation
Include clear business identifier
Keep content professional and legitimate
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Guatemala
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-action
Use personalization tokens thoughtfully
Maintain consistent brand voice
Include business name in message
Sending Frequency and Timing
Limit to 4-5 messages per month per recipient
Respect local holidays and cultural events
Implement frequency capping
Space out messages appropriately
Localization
Primary language: Spanish
Consider indigenous languages for specific regions
Use local date/time formats
Adapt content for cultural context
Test translations with native speakers
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Send opt-out confirmation message
Regular audit of opt-out lists
Train staff on opt-out procedures
Testing and Monitoring
Test across all major carriers (Tigo, Claro, Movistar)
Monitor delivery rates by carrier
Track engagement metrics
Regular A/B testing of message content
Document and analyze failure patterns
SMS API integrations for Guatemala
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Guatemala. Integration requires an account SID and auth token for authentication.
Key Parameters:
from: Your Twilio phone number (must be in E.164 format)
to: Recipient's number (must include +502 prefix for Guatemala)
body: Message content (supports UTF-8 encoding)
import{ Twilio }from'twilio';// Initialize Twilio clientconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);asyncfunctionsendSMSToGuatemala( to:string, message:string):Promise<void>{try{// Ensure number starts with Guatemala country codeconst formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+502')? to :`+502${to}`;const response =await client.messages.create({ body: message, from: process.env.TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER, to: formattedNumber,// Enable delivery tracking statusCallback:'https://your-webhook.com/status'});console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers direct carrier connections in Guatemala with support for both SMS and number verification services.