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Kazakhstan SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Kazakhstan SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Kazakhstan
ISO code:
KZ
Region
Europe
Mobile country code (MCC)
401
Dialing Code
+7
Market Conditions: Kazakhstan has a robust mobile telecommunications market with high SMS usage rates. The country's major mobile operators include Kcell, Beeline, and Tele2. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram are gaining popularity, SMS remains a critical communication channel, particularly for business messaging and authentication services. The market shows a strong preference for Android devices, though iOS usage is growing in urban areas.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan supports most standard SMS features with some specific restrictions on timing and sender ID requirements, while maintaining strong regulatory oversight for business messaging.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Kazakhstan for A2P (Application-to-Person) messaging. Businesses looking to implement interactive messaging solutions will need to explore alternative communication channels.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenated messages are supported, though availability may vary based on sender ID type. Message length rules: Standard 160 characters per message segment using GSM-7 encoding. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with UCS-2 messages limited to 70 characters per segment.
MMS Support
MMS messages are not directly supported in Kazakhstan. Instead, MMS content is automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content. This ensures compatibility while maintaining message delivery capabilities.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is available in Kazakhstan, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching between mobile operators. This feature does not significantly impact message delivery or routing, as the network infrastructure handles number porting transparently.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Kazakhstan. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and a 400 response error (code 21614) through the API. These messages will not appear in logs, and accounts will not be charged for failed attempts.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan maintains strict regulations for SMS communications, overseen by the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry. All SMS marketing activities must comply with the Law on Communications and data protection regulations.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Written consent must be obtained before sending any promotional or marketing messages
Consent records must be maintained and easily accessible
Opt-in documentation should include:
Date and time of consent
Source of consent (web form, paper document, etc.)
Scope of consent (types of messages agreed to receive)
Customer's phone number and contact information
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
All SMS campaigns must support standard opt-out keywords:
STOP, СТОП (Russian)
ТОҚТА (Kazakh)
HELP/КӨМЕК commands must provide information in both Russian and Kazakh
Response to opt-out requests must be immediate and confirmed via SMS
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
While Kazakhstan doesn't maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry, businesses must:
Maintain their own suppression lists
Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers
Implement systems to prevent messaging to opted-out numbers
Time Zone Sensitivity
Critical Time Restrictions:
Promotional SMS prohibited between 9 PM and 9 AM local time (GMT+6)
Messages sent during restricted hours will fail delivery
Exception: Emergency notifications and service-related messages
Best Practice: Schedule campaigns between 10 AM and 6 PM local time
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Kazakhstan
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported with pre-registration Registration requirements:
Mandatory pre-registration required
No dynamic usage allowed
Registration process takes approximately 3 weeks
Documentation needed: Company registration, brand proof, use case description
Sender ID preservation: Yes, registered IDs are preserved across networks
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic long codes not supported
International long codes supported with limitations
Sender ID preservation: No, international long codes may be modified
Provisioning time: N/A for domestic, immediate for international
Use cases: Primarily for transactional and authentication messages
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Kazakhstan
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A