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Madagascar SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Madagascar SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Madagascar
ISO code:
MG
Region
Middle East & Africa
Mobile country code (MCC)
646
Dialing Code
+261
Market Conditions: Madagascar's mobile market is dominated by three major operators: Telma Mobile, Airtel, and Orange. SMS remains a crucial communication channel due to limited smartphone penetration and internet connectivity in rural areas. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are gaining popularity in urban centers, traditional SMS maintains strong usage patterns across the country, particularly for business communications and notifications.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Madagascar
Madagascar supports standard SMS features with some limitations on two-way messaging and specific requirements for sender IDs across different mobile networks.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Madagascar through major SMS providers. Businesses should design their messaging strategies around one-way communications.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenated messages are 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 Unicode. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 (Unicode) encodings are supported, with UCS-2 particularly important for messages containing Malagasy special characters.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. This conversion ensures message delivery while providing access to multimedia content through web links.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Madagascar. Phone numbers remain tied to their original mobile network operators.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a 400 response error (error code 21614), and no charges will be incurred.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Madagascar
Madagascar's SMS communications are regulated under Interdepartmental Order number 2471/2016, which establishes guidelines for telecommunications services. The ARTEC (Autorité de Régulation des Technologies de Communication) oversees telecommunications regulations and compliance.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Written or electronic consent must be obtained before sending marketing messages
Documentation of consent must be maintained and readily available
Consent records should include timestamp, source, and scope of permission
Clear disclosure of message frequency and purpose at opt-in
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
All SMS campaigns must support standard STOP commands
HELP and STOP keywords should be recognized in both French and Malagasy
Common local variations include "ARRETER" (French) and "AJANONA" (Malagasy)
Response to STOP commands must be immediate and confirmed
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Madagascar does not maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry. However, businesses should:
Maintain their own suppression lists
Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
Keep records of opted-out numbers for at least 12 months
Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers
Time Zone Sensitivity
Madagascar follows strict time-based restrictions for SMS communications:
Permitted Hours: 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Madagascar Time, UTC+3)
Maximum Messages: No more than three SMS messages per recipient per day
Exception: Emergency notifications and requested messages may be sent outside these hours
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Madagascar
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported across major networks Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required Sender ID preservation: Yes, but with network-specific exceptions:
Telma Mobile may override certain sender IDs
Generic terms like "InfoSMS" and "Verify" should be avoided
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International: International long codes supported; domestic availability limited Sender ID preservation: Yes for international numbers Provisioning time: Immediate for international numbers Use cases:
Transactional messaging
Customer support
Account notifications
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Madagascar 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
Unauthorized financial services
Political messaging without proper authorization
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Filters:
URLs from unknown domains may be blocked
Messages containing certain keywords in French or Malagasy
Multiple exclamation marks or all-caps text
Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:
Use registered URL shorteners
Avoid excessive punctuation
Maintain consistent sender IDs
Use clear, professional language
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Madagascar
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-actions
Personalize using recipient's name or relevant details
Maintain consistent branding across messages
Sending Frequency and Timing
Respect daily limit of 3 messages per recipient
Consider Madagascar's business hours (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
Avoid sending during major holidays like Independence Day (June 26)
Space out messages to prevent recipient fatigue
Localization
Support both French and Malagasy languages
Consider regional dialects for different provinces
Use appropriate date formats (DD/MM/YYYY)
Account for cultural sensitivities in message content
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Maintain clear opt-out records
Include opt-out instructions in messages
Regular audit of opt-out compliance
Testing and Monitoring
Test across all major carriers (Telma, Airtel, Orange)
Monitor delivery rates by carrier
Track engagement metrics
Regular testing of opt-out functionality
SMS API integrations for Madagascar
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Madagascar. Here's how to implement it:
import{ Twilio }from'twilio';// Initialize client with your credentialsconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);// Function to send SMS to MadagascarasyncfunctionsendSMSToMadagascar( to:string, message:string, senderId:string){try{// Ensure proper formatting for Madagascar numbersconst formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+261')? to
:`+261${to.replace(/^0/,'')}`;const response =await client.messages.create({ body: message, from: senderId,// Alphanumeric sender ID or Twilio number to: formattedNumber,// Optional parameters for delivery tracking statusCallback:'https://your-webhook.com/status'});console.log(`Message sent! SID: ${response.sid}`);return response;}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers direct operator connections in Madagascar. Implementation example: