Nicaragua SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Nicaragua SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Nicaragua's mobile market is characterized by moderate SMS usage, with a growing preference for OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. The mobile market is dominated by América Móvil's Claro and Telefónica's Movistar, with Android devices being significantly more prevalent than iOS. SMS remains important for business communications, notifications, and authentication purposes, particularly in areas with limited internet connectivity.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Nicaragua

Nicaragua supports basic SMS functionality with some limitations on advanced features, focusing primarily on one-way messaging capabilities for business and authentication purposes.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Nicaragua through standard API providers. Messages can only be sent one-way from businesses to consumers.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenated messages are supported, though availability may vary by sender ID type.
Message length rules: Standard 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding before splitting occurs. Messages using UCS-2 encoding are limited to 70 characters before concatenation.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with GSM-7 recommended for optimal message length and cost efficiency.

MMS Support

MMS messages are not directly supported in Nicaragua. When attempting to send MMS, the message will be automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the media content. This ensures message delivery while maintaining compatibility with local network capabilities.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is not available in Nicaragua. Mobile numbers remain tied to their original carrier, which simplifies message routing but limits consumer flexibility.

Sending SMS to Landlines

Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Nicaragua. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in delivery failure, typically generating a 400 response error (code 21614) from SMS API providers, with no charges incurred.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Nicaragua

While Nicaragua doesn't have specific SMS marketing legislation, businesses must follow general telecommunications regulations overseen by TELCOR (Instituto Nicaragüense de Telecomunicaciones y Correos), the national telecommunications regulator. Best practices from international standards should be applied to ensure compliance and maintain good sender reputation.

Consent and Opt-In

Explicit Consent Requirements:

• Obtain clear, documented opt-in consent before sending any marketing messages
• Maintain detailed records of when and how consent was obtained
• Include clear terms of service and privacy policy information during opt-in
• Specify message frequency and content type during the opt-in process

Best Practices for Documentation:

• Store consent records with timestamp and source
• Maintain audit trails of opt-in methods
• Regularly update and verify consent status
• Implement double opt-in for marketing campaigns

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

• All SMS campaigns must support standard opt-out keywords:
  • STOP, CANCELAR, NO
  • AYUDA, HELP
• Messages should be processed in both Spanish and English
• Include opt-out instructions in Spanish: "Envía STOP para cancelar"
• Respond to HELP/AYUDA requests with service information in Spanish

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Nicaragua does not maintain an official 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
• Regularly clean contact lists to remove unsubscribed numbers

Time Zone Sensitivity

Nicaragua operates in Central Time (UTC-6). While there are no strict time restrictions:

• Recommended Sending Window: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM local time
• Avoid Sending: Sundays and national holidays unless urgent
• Emergency Messages: Can be sent 24/7 for critical notifications

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Nicaragua

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Supported
Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required
Sender ID preservation: No - Sender IDs are overwritten with short codes

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International:

• Domestic long codes not supported
• International long codes supported but overwritten

Sender ID preservation: No - Numbers are overwritten with short codes
Provisioning time: Immediate
Use cases:

• Transactional messages
• Two-factor authentication
• Customer service communications

Short Codes

Support: Not currently supported in Nicaragua
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

Prohibited Content:

• Gambling and betting services
• Adult content or explicit material
• Illegal products or services
• Cryptocurrency promotions
• Political campaign messages without proper authorization

Regulated Industries:

• Financial services require clear sender identification
• Healthcare messages must maintain patient privacy
• Educational institutions need explicit student consent

Content Filtering

Known Carrier Filters:

• URLs from unknown domains
• Multiple exclamation marks
• ALL CAPS messages
• Excessive special characters

Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:

• Use clear, professional language
• Avoid URL shorteners
• Limit special characters and emojis
• Maintain consistent sending patterns

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Nicaragua

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear call-to-actions
• Personalize messages with recipient's name
• Use a consistent sender ID

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit to 2-3 messages per week per recipient
• Respect local holidays and cultural events
• Maintain consistent sending schedules
• Allow at least 24 hours between marketing messages

Localization

• Primary language: Spanish
• Use formal Spanish ("usted" instead of "tú")
• Include both Spanish and English for international services
• Consider local cultural context and expressions

Opt-Out Management

• Process opt-outs within 24 hours
• Send confirmation of opt-out completion
• Maintain centralized opt-out database
• Regular audit of opt-out list compliance

Testing and Monitoring

• Test across Claro and Movistar networks
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track opt-out rates and patterns
• Regular testing of opt-out functionality

SMS API Integrations for Nicaragua

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Nicaragua. Here's how to implement it:

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 Nicaragua
async function sendSMSToNicaragua(
  to: string,
  message: string
): Promise<void> {
  try {
    // Ensure proper formatting for Nicaragua numbers (+505)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+505') ? to : `+505${to}`;

    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      to: formattedNumber,
      from: process.env.TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER,
      // Optional: statusCallback URL for delivery updates
      statusCallback: 'https://your-callback-url.com/status'
    });

    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers direct carrier connections in Nicaragua. Implementation example:

import axios from 'axios';

class SinchSMSClient {
  private readonly baseUrl: string;
  private readonly apiToken: string;

  constructor(apiToken: string) {
    this.baseUrl = 'https://sms.api.sinch.com/xms/v1';
    this.apiToken = apiToken;
  }

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await axios.post(
        `${this.baseUrl}/batches`,
        {
          from: 'YourSenderID',
          to: [to],
          body: message
        },
        {
          headers: {
            'Authorization': `Bearer ${this.apiToken}`,
            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
          }
        }
      );

      console.log('Message sent:', response.data.id);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Sinch SMS error:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides reliable SMS delivery to Nicaragua:

import { MessageBird } from 'messagebird';

class MessageBirdClient {
  private client: MessageBird;

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

  sendSMS(to: string, message: string): Promise<void> {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      this.client.messages.create({
        originator: 'YourCompany',
        recipients: [to],
        body: message,
        datacoding: 'auto' // Automatically handles character encoding
      }, (err, response) => {
        if (err) {
          reject(err);
        } else {
          resolve(response);
        }
      });
    });
  }
}

Plivo

Plivo offers competitive rates for Nicaragua SMS:

import plivo from 'plivo';

class PlivoSMSClient {
  private client: plivo.Client;

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

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      const response = await this.client.messages.create({
        src: 'YourSourceNumber', // Your Plivo number
        dst: to,
        text: message,
        // Optional parameters for delivery tracking
        url: 'https://your-callback-url.com/status',
        method: 'POST'
      });

      console.log('Message sent:', response.messageUuid);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Plivo SMS error:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Rate Limits:
  • Twilio: 250 messages per second
  • Sinch: 100 messages per second
  • MessageBird: 150 messages per second
  • Plivo: 200 messages per second

Strategies for Large-Scale Sending:

• Implement queue systems (Redis/RabbitMQ)
• Use batch sending APIs where available
• Implement exponential backoff for retries
• Monitor throughput and adjust sending rates

Error Handling and Reporting

• Implement comprehensive logging
• Monitor delivery receipts
• Track common error codes
• Set up automated alerts for failure thresholds

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

1. Compliance Priorities:

   • Obtain explicit consent
   • Honor opt-out requests
   • Maintain proper documentation

2. Technical Considerations:

   • Format numbers with +505 prefix
   • Support Spanish language
   • Monitor delivery rates

3. Best Practices:

   • Send during business hours
   • Keep messages concise
   • Regular list cleaning

Next Steps

1. Review TELCOR regulations
2. Implement proper opt-in/opt-out systems
3. Set up monitoring and reporting
4. Test with multiple carriers

Additional Resources

• TELCOR Official Website
• Nicaragua Telecommunications Law
• SMS Best Practices Guide

Contact Information:

• TELCOR Support: +505 2222-7348
• Technical Support: regulacion@telcor.gob.ni