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Netherlands SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Netherlands SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Netherlands
ISO code:
NL
Region
Europe
Mobile country code (MCC)
204
Dialing Code
+31
Market Conditions: The Netherlands has a highly developed mobile market with near-universal smartphone penetration. While OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp are extremely popular for P2P communications, SMS remains critical for business messaging, particularly for authentication, notifications, and marketing. The market is dominated by three major operators: KPN, VodafoneZiggo, and T-Mobile Netherlands, with a strong infrastructure supporting both consumer and A2P messaging needs.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Netherlands
The Netherlands offers comprehensive SMS capabilities including two-way messaging, concatenation support, and number portability, while maintaining strict compliance requirements for business messaging.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is fully supported in the Netherlands, allowing businesses to engage in interactive messaging with customers. No special restrictions apply beyond standard compliance requirements, making it ideal for customer service and engagement use cases.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is fully supported across all major carriers. Message length rules: Standard 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding, 70 characters for UCS-2 encoding before splitting occurs. Encoding considerations: GSM-7 is supported for standard Latin characters, while UCS-2 is available for messages containing special characters or non-Latin alphabets.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link to the media content. This ensures reliable delivery while maintaining the ability to share rich media content with recipients.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is fully available in the Netherlands, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching carriers. This feature is well-established and doesn't significantly impact message delivery or routing.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in the Netherlands. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in delivery failure, and the API will return a 400 response with error code 21614. These messages won't appear in logs and won't incur charges.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Netherlands
The Netherlands operates under both GDPR and the Dutch Telecommunications Act, overseen by the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM). Businesses must comply with strict regulations regarding data privacy, consent management, and marketing communications.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Written or digital confirmation of opt-in is mandatory before sending marketing messages
Consent must be freely given, specific, and informed
Double opt-in is recommended for marketing campaigns
Records of consent must be maintained and easily accessible
Purpose of messaging must be clearly stated during opt-in process
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Must support both Dutch and English keywords:
STOP/STOPPEN for opt-out
HELP/HULP for assistance
INFO for additional information
Commands must be processed within 24 hours
Confirmation messages should be sent in the same language as the received command
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
The Netherlands maintains the "Bel-me-niet Register" (Do Not Call Registry)
Regular synchronization with the registry is mandatory
Businesses must:
Check numbers against the registry before campaigns
Update suppression lists at least every 30 days
Honor opt-out requests within 24 hours
Maintain internal do-not-contact lists
Time Zone Sensitivity
Permitted sending hours: 08:00-21:00 CET
Emergency notifications exempt from time restrictions
Consider Dutch holidays and weekends
Implement automated delivery windows in messaging systems
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Netherlands
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Fully supported Registration requirements: No pre-registration required, dynamic usage allowed Sender ID preservation: Yes, sender IDs are preserved across all major networks
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International: Both supported with full functionality Sender ID preservation: Yes, original sender ID maintained Provisioning time: Immediate to 24 hours Use cases:
Transactional messaging
Two-factor authentication
Customer service communications
Marketing (with consent)
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in the Netherlands Provisioning time: N/A Use cases: N/A - Use long codes or alphanumeric sender IDs instead
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Restricted Industries and Content:
Gambling (unless licensed by Dutch authorities)
Adult content or services
Unauthorized financial services
Prescription medications
Political messaging without proper disclosures
Content Filtering
Carrier Filtering Rules:
Links must be from approved domains
No excessive capitalization
No misleading sender information
Maximum of 5 consecutive messages to same recipient
Best Practices to Avoid Blocking:
Use consistent sender IDs
Maintain regular sending patterns
Avoid URL shorteners
Include clear opt-out instructions
Keep content professional and relevant
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Netherlands
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-action
Personalize using recipient's first name
Maintain consistent brand voice
Use tracking links for analytics
Sending Frequency and Timing
Maximum 4-5 messages per month per recipient
Respect quiet hours (21:00-08:00 CET)
Avoid sending during major holidays
Space campaigns at least 48 hours apart
Localization
Primary language options: Dutch and English
Consider bilingual messages for important communications
Use proper date formats (DD-MM-YYYY)
Account for cultural nuances and preferences
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs in real-time
Send confirmation of opt-out
Maintain centralized suppression list
Regular audit of opt-out processes
Document opt-out dates and methods
Testing and Monitoring
Test across KPN, VodafoneZiggo, and T-Mobile
Monitor delivery rates by carrier
Track engagement metrics
Regular A/B testing of message content
Maintain quality score above industry benchmarks
SMS API integrations for Netherlands
Twilio
Twilio provides robust SMS capabilities for the Netherlands through their REST API. Authentication uses account SID and auth token, with support for +3197 prefix numbers required for A2P messaging.
import{ Twilio }from'twilio';// Initialize client with environment variablesconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);// Function to send SMS to NetherlandsasyncfunctionsendDutchSMS( to:string, message:string, from:string):Promise<void>{try{// Validate Dutch phone number formatif(!to.startsWith('+31')){thrownewError('Invalid Dutch phone number format');}const response =await client.messages.create({ body: message, to: to,// Must be in E.164 format: +31612345678 from: from,// Your +3197 prefix number});console.log(`Message sent successfully: ${response.sid}`);}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers comprehensive SMS services with RESTful API access. Their service supports both transactional and marketing messages in the Netherlands.