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Israel SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Israel SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Israel
ISO code:
IL
Region
Middle East & Africa
Mobile country code (MCC)
425
Dialing Code
+972
Market Conditions: Israel has a highly developed mobile market with near-universal smartphone penetration. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are extremely popular, SMS remains crucial for business communications and authentication. The market is served by major operators including Partner Communications, Cellcom, and Hot Mobile, with strong competition driving innovation in messaging services.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Israel
Israel offers comprehensive SMS capabilities including two-way messaging, concatenation support, and number portability, though MMS is handled through SMS conversion with URL links.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is fully supported in Israel, allowing for interactive messaging campaigns and customer engagement. There are no specific restrictions beyond standard compliance requirements for commercial messaging.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is supported across most networks, though availability may vary by sender ID type. Message length rules: 160 characters per segment for GSM-7 encoding, 70 characters for UCS-2 encoding. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with UCS-2 recommended for Hebrew characters and special symbols.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link to the media content. This ensures compatibility across all devices while maintaining the ability to share rich media content.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is available in Israel, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching carriers. The system includes real-time routing table updates and automatic carrier detection to ensure reliable message delivery.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Israel. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614 for Twilio API), with no charges applied to the sender's account.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Israel
Israel maintains strict regulations for commercial SMS messaging, governed by the Ministry of Communications and the Privacy Protection Authority. Businesses must comply with the Communications Law (Telecommunications and Broadcasting) and Privacy Protection Law.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Written or digital consent must be obtained before sending marketing messages
Consent records must be maintained and easily accessible
Purpose of messaging must be clearly stated during opt-in
Separate consent required for different types of communications
Best Practices for Documentation:
Store timestamp and source of consent
Maintain detailed opt-in records for at least 7 years
Use double opt-in for marketing lists
Provide clear terms and conditions during signup
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Required Keywords:
Must support both Hebrew and English opt-out commands
Hebrew: "הסר" (HASER)
English: "STOP"
HELP command must provide contact information and opt-out instructions
Language Requirements:
All automated responses must be in both Hebrew and English
Opt-out confirmation messages are mandatory
Keywords must be case-insensitive
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Israel maintains a national "Do Not Call" registry ("Do Not Call Me" - אל תתקשר אלי) administered by the Ministry of Communications.
Compliance Requirements:
Regular checks against the registry (minimum monthly)
Immediate removal of registered numbers
Maintenance of internal suppression lists
Documentation of opt-out requests for 3 years
Time Zone Sensitivity
Messaging Hours (Israel Standard Time - IST):
Permitted: 08:00-22:00 Sunday-Thursday
Restricted: Friday afternoon through Saturday evening (Shabbat)
Emergency messages exempt from time restrictions
Consider religious holidays and national observances
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Israel
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported with pre-registration Registration requirements:
Domestic pre-registration required
1-week approval process
Business documentation needed
Brand name verification required
Sender ID preservation: Yes, displayed as registered
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic: Fully supported
International: Supported with limitations
Local presence recommended for high-volume sending
Sender ID preservation:
Domestic: Yes
International: No, may be modified by carriers
Provisioning time: Immediate for domestic numbers
Use cases:
Two-way communication
Customer support
Transactional messages
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Israel
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Prohibited Content:
Gambling and betting
Adult content and pornography
Illegal drugs and substances
Political messaging without proper disclosure
Misleading financial offers
Regulated Industries:
Financial services require regulatory disclaimers
Healthcare messages must maintain patient privacy
Legal services must include license information
Content Filtering
Carrier Filtering Rules:
URLs must be from approved domains
Message content screened for prohibited terms
Sender ID must match registered business name
Best Practices:
Avoid URL shorteners
Limit special characters
Include clear business identifier
Use approved templates for sensitive content
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Israel
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-action
Use personalization tokens thoughtfully
Maintain consistent sender ID
Sending Frequency and Timing
Maximum 4 marketing messages per month per user
Respect religious observances and holidays
Avoid sending during Shabbat
Space messages appropriately
Localization
Primary content in Hebrew
Consider including English translations
Use proper right-to-left (RTL) formatting
Support both Hebrew and Latin character sets
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Confirm opt-out requests immediately
Regular audit of opt-out lists
Testing and Monitoring
Test across major carriers (Partner, Cellcom, Hot Mobile)
Monitor delivery rates by carrier
Track engagement metrics
Regular testing of opt-out functionality
SMS API integrations for Israel
Twilio
Twilio provides robust SMS capabilities for Israel through their REST API. Authentication uses your Account SID and Auth Token.
Key Parameters:
from: Your Twilio phone number or approved sender ID