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Puerto Rico (US) SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Puerto Rico (US) SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Puerto Rico (US)
ISO code:
PR
Region
North America
Mobile country code (MCC)
330
Dialing Code
+1
Market Conditions: Puerto Rico's mobile market is closely integrated with the US telecommunications ecosystem, with major US carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T providing local service alongside regional operators. SMS remains a primary communication channel for business messaging, with high mobile penetration rates. WhatsApp and other OTT messaging apps are popular for personal communication, but SMS is preferred for business and verification messages due to its reliability and universal reach.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Puerto Rico (US)
Puerto Rico supports comprehensive SMS capabilities including two-way messaging, with features and regulations aligned with US mainland standards.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is fully supported in Puerto Rico, allowing businesses to engage in interactive messaging with customers. No special restrictions apply beyond standard US messaging regulations and carrier requirements.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Concatenated messaging is not supported through the Sent.dm platform for Puerto Rico. Message length rules: Messages follow standard SMS character limits - 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 characters for Unicode (UCS-2). Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with GSM-7 recommended for standard ASCII characters to maximize message length.
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link to the media content. This ensures reliable delivery while still allowing businesses to share rich media content with recipients.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Puerto Rico. This means phone numbers remain tied to their original carriers, which can help ensure more reliable message routing.
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 (code 21614) through the REST API, with no message delivery and no charges applied to the account.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Puerto Rico (US)
As a US territory, Puerto Rico follows US federal telecommunications regulations, including TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) and CTIA guidelines. Businesses must comply with both federal requirements and carrier-specific rules for A2P messaging.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit consent is mandatory before sending any marketing or promotional messages. Best practices include:
Collecting written or digital consent with clear terms
Maintaining detailed records of opt-in dates and methods
Specifying message frequency and content type
Using double opt-in for marketing programs
Providing clear disclosure of message and data rates
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Required Keywords: Must support standard STOP, QUIT, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, and HELP commands
Language Support: Commands must be recognized in both English and Spanish
Response Time: Acknowledge opt-out requests within 24 hours
Help Messages: Must include program information, support contact, and message frequency
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Puerto Rico follows the US National Do Not Call Registry. Best practices include:
Regularly scrubbing contact lists against the National DNC Registry
Maintaining internal do-not-contact lists
Implementing immediate opt-out processing
Documenting all opt-out requests and processing dates
Time Zone Sensitivity
Puerto Rico observes Atlantic Standard Time (AST). Recommended messaging hours:
Standard Business Hours: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM AST
Emergency Messages: Allowed 24/7 for critical notifications
Marketing Messages: Restrict to business hours only
Consider Holidays: Respect local holidays and cultural observances
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Puerto Rico (US)
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Not supported for dynamic usage Registration requirements: Not applicable Sender ID preservation: Not preserved - messages will display numeric sender ID
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Domestic long codes supported with required 10DLC registration
International long codes not supported
Sender ID preservation: Yes, for registered 10DLC numbers Provisioning time: 1-3 business days for 10DLC registration Use cases:
Two-factor authentication
Appointment reminders
Customer service
Transactional messages
Short Codes
Support: US short codes supported by major carriers Provisioning time: 8-12 weeks for new short code approval Use cases:
High-volume marketing campaigns
Time-sensitive alerts
Mass notifications
Promotional campaigns
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Prohibited Content:
Gambling and lottery services
Adult content or SHAFT (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco)
Cryptocurrency promotions
Debt collection
Political messaging without proper disclosure
Content Filtering
Carrier Filtering Rules:
Messages containing prohibited keywords are blocked
URLs must be from approved domains
High-frequency messaging may trigger spam filters
Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:
Avoid URL shorteners
Use registered domains
Maintain consistent sending patterns
Include clear business identification
Avoid excessive punctuation and all-caps
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Puerto Rico (US)
Messaging Strategy
Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
Include clear call-to-actions
Use personalization tokens thoughtfully
Maintain consistent sender identification
Sending Frequency and Timing
Limit marketing messages to 2-4 per month per recipient
Respect quiet hours (8 PM - 8 AM AST)
Avoid sending during major holidays
Space out bulk campaigns to prevent network congestion
Localization
Offer messages in both Spanish and English
Consider cultural context and local preferences
Use appropriate date and time formats
Include local contact information when possible
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs in real-time
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Confirm opt-outs with acknowledgment message
Regular audit of opt-out list compliance
Testing and Monitoring
Test across major carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, local operators)
Monitor delivery rates by carrier
Track opt-out rates and patterns
Regular testing of opt-out functionality
Monitor for carrier filtering changes
SMS API integrations for Puerto Rico (US)
Twilio
Twilio provides a robust SMS API with comprehensive support for Puerto Rico messaging. Integration requires your Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Console.
import{ Twilio }from'twilio';// Initialize Twilio client with credentialsconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);// Function to send SMS to Puerto RicoasyncfunctionsendSMSToPuertoRico( to:string, message:string):Promise<void>{try{// Ensure number is in E.164 format for Puerto Rico (+1787XXXXXXX or +1939XXXXXXX)const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+1')? to :`+1${to}`;const response =await client.messages.create({ body: message, to: formattedNumber, from: process.env.TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER,// Your registered 10DLC or shortcode statusCallback:'https://your-webhook.com/status',// Optional delivery status updates});console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers SMS capabilities through their REST API, requiring an API Token and Service Plan ID.