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Hungary SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Hungary SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Hungary
ISO code:
HU
Region
Europe
Mobile country code (MCC)
216
Dialing Code
+36
Market Conditions: Hungary has a mature mobile market with high SMS adoption rates. The three major mobile operators are Vodafone, Telenor, and Telekom, providing comprehensive network coverage across the country. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are popular, SMS remains a crucial channel for business communications, particularly for authentication and notifications. The 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 Hungary
Hungary offers comprehensive SMS capabilities including two-way messaging, concatenated messages, and number portability, though with some carrier-specific limitations on sender ID preservation.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is fully supported in Hungary across all major carriers. There are no specific restrictions beyond standard compliance requirements for commercial messaging.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is supported, though availability may vary by sender ID type. Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, 70 characters for UCS-2 encoding. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported. Messages using special characters will automatically use UCS-2 encoding, reducing the character limit per segment.
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 include clear context in the SMS portion of the message.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is available in Hungary, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching carriers. This feature is fully supported and does not impact message delivery or routing.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Hungary. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614). These messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Hungary
As a member of the European Union, Hungary follows GDPR requirements and has specific local regulations overseen by the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH). All SMS marketing must comply with Act XLVIII of 2008 on Commercial Advertising Activities and the Hungarian Data Protection Act.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Written or electronic 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
Include clear terms of service and privacy policy references
Double opt-in is recommended for marketing campaigns
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Must support both "STOP" and "LEIRATKOZAS" (unsubscribe in Hungarian)
HELP/SEGITSEG commands must provide support information in Hungarian
All automated responses should be in both Hungarian and English
Commands must be case-insensitive and free of charge for users
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Hungary maintains a national Do Not Call registry ("Robinson List") managed by the NMHH.
Businesses must check numbers against this registry before sending marketing messages
Maintain internal suppression lists of opted-out numbers
Process opt-out requests within 24 hours
Regularly update and clean contact databases
Time Zone Sensitivity
Hungary observes Central European Time (CET/CEST):
Restrict marketing messages to 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM local time
Avoid sending during national holidays
Emergency or service-related messages can be sent 24/7 if necessary
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Hungary
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Partially supported Registration requirements: Not required, but dynamic usage is supported Sender ID preservation: Only preserved by Vodafone; Telenor and Telekom overwrite with local long code
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International: Both supported Sender ID preservation: Yes for domestic, No for international Provisioning time: Immediate to 24 hours Use cases: Ideal for two-way communication, customer support, and transactional messages
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Hungary Provisioning time: N/A Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Restricted Industries and Content:
Gambling and betting services (unless licensed)
Adult content or services
Unauthorized financial services
Prescription medications
Political messaging (requires special authorization)
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Filters:
URLs from suspicious domains
Keywords associated with spam or scams
High-frequency sending patterns
Messages containing certain special characters
Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:
Use registered URL shorteners
Avoid excessive punctuation
Keep content clear and professional
Maintain consistent sending patterns
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Hungary
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 2-4 messages per month per recipient
Respect Hungarian holidays and observances
Avoid weekends unless explicitly approved by recipient
Space out bulk campaigns to prevent network congestion
Localization
Primary language should be Hungarian
Consider bilingual messages for international businesses
Use proper character encoding for Hungarian special characters
Respect cultural sensitivities and local customs
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs in real-time
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Include clear opt-out instructions in every message
Confirm opt-out status via confirmation message
Testing and Monitoring
Test across all major Hungarian carriers
Monitor delivery rates by carrier
Track engagement metrics and opt-out rates
Regular testing of opt-out functionality
Monitor for carrier filtering patterns
SMS API integrations for Hungary
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Hungarian numbers. Authentication uses account SID and auth token credentials.
import{ Twilio }from'twilio';// Initialize Twilio clientconst client =newTwilio(process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);asyncfunctionsendSMSToHungary(to:string, message:string){try{// Ensure number is in E.164 format for Hungary (+36...)const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+36')? to :`+36${to}`;const response =await client.messages.create({ body: message, to: formattedNumber, from: process.env.TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER,// Your Twilio number// Optional parameters for delivery tracking statusCallback:'https://your-webhook.com/status'});console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);return response;}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers direct carrier connections in Hungary with support for both transactional and marketing messages.