Maldives SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Maldives SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: The Maldives has a robust mobile telecommunications infrastructure with widespread SMS usage. The market is characterized by high mobile penetration rates and growing adoption of digital communications. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Viber are popular, SMS remains a critical channel for business communications and authentication services due to its reliability and universal reach.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Maldives

The Maldives supports most standard SMS features including concatenated messaging and alphanumeric sender IDs, though two-way SMS functionality is limited.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not currently supported in the Maldives. Businesses should design their messaging strategies around one-way communications and provide alternative channels for customer responses when needed.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenated messaging is supported in the Maldives, though support may vary by sender ID type.
Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 characters for UCS-2 encoding before splitting occurs.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with UCS-2 recommended for messages containing non-Latin characters.

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 through linked web pages.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is available in the Maldives, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching between mobile operators. This feature does not significantly impact SMS delivery or routing as messages are automatically routed to the correct carrier.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in the Maldives. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614) from the SMS API. These messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Maldives

While the Maldives has relatively flexible SMS regulations compared to other markets, businesses should follow international best practices for SMS marketing and communications. The Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM) oversees telecommunications regulations, though specific SMS marketing guidelines are limited.

Consent and Opt-In

While explicit regulations around consent are not strictly defined, implementing strong opt-in practices is strongly recommended:

• Obtain clear, explicit consent before sending marketing messages
• Document and maintain records of how and when consent was obtained
• Provide clear information about message frequency and content type
• Include your business name and purpose in initial messages

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

Though not legally required, implementing standard opt-out mechanisms is recommended:

• Support standard STOP commands for opt-outs
• Include HELP functionality for user support
• Consider supporting both English and Dhivehi language commands
• Process opt-out requests within 24 hours

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

The Maldives does not maintain an official Do Not Call or Do Not Disturb registry. However, businesses should:

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests immediately
• Regularly clean contact lists
• Document opt-out dates and reasons

Time Zone Sensitivity

While there are no official time restrictions for SMS sending in the Maldives, follow these best practices:

• Send messages between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM local time (MVT)
• Respect religious observances, particularly during Ramadan
• Reserve early morning/late night sending for urgent messages only

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Maldives

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Fully supported across all networks
Registration requirements: No pre-registration required; dynamic usage allowed
Sender ID preservation: Sender IDs are preserved and displayed as sent

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International: International long codes supported; domestic long codes not currently available
Sender ID preservation: Original sender IDs are preserved for international traffic
Provisioning time: Typically 1-2 business days
Use cases: Ideal for transactional messages and two-factor authentication

Short Codes

Support: Short codes are not currently supported in the Maldives
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

The Dhivehi network (MCC MNC: 472-01) enforces strict policies on sender IDs:

• Only authentic alpha sender IDs are permitted
• Numeric formats and generic alphanumerics are prohibited
• Financial services and healthcare messages must clearly identify the sender

Content Filtering

While specific carrier filtering rules are not published, follow these guidelines:

• Avoid URL shorteners in sensitive industries
• Include clear sender identification
• Maintain consistent sending patterns
• Avoid excessive punctuation and all-caps text

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Maldives

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear calls-to-action
• Maintain consistent sender IDs
• Personalize messages with recipient names when appropriate

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit marketing messages to 2-4 per month per recipient
• Space out messages to avoid overwhelming users
• Consider Maldivian holidays and prayer times
• Monitor engagement rates to optimize timing

Localization

• Support both Dhivehi and English languages
• Use Unicode (UCS-2) encoding for Dhivehi characters
• Consider cultural sensitivities in message content
• Test message rendering on popular local devices

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs within 24 hours
• Maintain centralized opt-out databases
• Include opt-out instructions in marketing messages
• Regular audit of opt-out compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test messages across all major carriers
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics
• Regular testing of opt-out functionality

SMS API integrations for Maldives

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for the Maldives market. Integration requires your Account SID and Auth Token for authentication.

import { Twilio } from 'twilio';

// Initialize Twilio client with your credentials
const client = new Twilio(process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);

// Function to send SMS to Maldives
async function sendSMSToMaldives(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    // Ensure phone number is in E.164 format for Maldives (+960)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+960') ? to : `+960${to}`;
    
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: senderId, // Alphanumeric sender ID
      to: formattedNumber,
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers flexible SMS API integration with support for alphanumeric sender IDs in the Maldives.

import axios from 'axios';

class SinchSMSService {
  private readonly apiToken: string;
  private readonly serviceId: string;
  private readonly baseUrl: string = 'https://sms.api.sinch.com/xms/v1';

  constructor(apiToken: string, serviceId: string) {
    this.apiToken = apiToken;
    this.serviceId = serviceId;
  }

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await axios.post(
        `${this.baseUrl}/${this.serviceId}/batches`,
        {
          from: senderId,
          to: [to],
          body: message
        },
        {
          headers: {
            'Authorization': `Bearer ${this.apiToken}`,
            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
          }
        }
      );
      
      console.log('Message sent successfully:', response.data);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to send message:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides reliable SMS delivery to the Maldives with support for various message types.

import messagebird from 'messagebird';

class MessageBirdService {
  private client: any;

  constructor(apiKey: string) {
    this.client = messagebird(apiKey);
  }

  sendSMS(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<void> {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      // Configure message parameters
      const params = {
        originator: senderId,
        recipients: [to],
        body: message,
        datacoding: 'unicode' // Support for Dhivehi characters
      };

      // Send the message
      this.client.messages.create(params, (err: any, response: any) => {
        if (err) {
          console.error('Error sending message:', err);
          reject(err);
        } else {
          console.log('Message sent successfully:', response);
          resolve();
        }
      });
    });
  }
}

Plivo

Plivo offers straightforward SMS integration with good coverage in the Maldives.

import plivo from 'plivo';

class PlivoSMSService {
  private client: any;

  constructor(authId: string, authToken: string) {
    this.client = new plivo.Client(authId, authToken);
  }

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await this.client.messages.create({
        src: senderId,
        dst: to,
        text: message,
        url_strip_query_params: false // Preserve full URLs in messages
      });
      
      console.log('Message sent:', response);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to send message:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Default rate limits vary by provider (typically 1-10 messages per second)
• Implement exponential backoff for retry logic
• Consider using queue systems like Redis or RabbitMQ for high-volume sending
• Batch messages when possible to optimize throughput

Error Handling and Reporting

• Implement comprehensive error logging
• Monitor delivery receipts (DLRs)
• Track common error codes:
  • Invalid number format
  • Network errors
  • Rate limit exceeded
• Store message metadata for troubleshooting

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways:

• Alphanumeric sender IDs are supported without pre-registration
• Two-way SMS is not supported
• Implement proper opt-out handling
• Consider local time zones and cultural factors
• Support both English and Dhivehi languages

Next Steps:

1. Review the Communications Authority of Maldives guidelines
2. Implement proper consent management
3. Test message delivery across all major carriers
4. Set up monitoring and reporting systems

Additional Information:

• Communications Authority of Maldives
• Maldives Telecommunications Law
• SMS Best Practices Guide