Check phone number activity, carrier details, line type and more.
Sao Tome and Principe SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Sao Tome and Principe SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Sao Tome and Principe
ISO code:
ST
Region
Middle East & Africa
Mobile country code (MCC)
626
Dialing Code
+239
Market Conditions: Sao Tome and Principe has a growing mobile telecommunications sector with increasing SMS adoption. The market is characterized by limited competition among mobile operators and moderate smartphone penetration. While OTT messaging apps are gaining popularity in urban areas, SMS remains a reliable communication channel, especially for business communications and notifications due to its universal reach and reliability.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe supports basic SMS functionality with some limitations on advanced features, making it important to understand the specific capabilities and restrictions when implementing SMS communications.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Sao Tome and Principe according to current provider capabilities. This means businesses should design their SMS strategies around one-way communications only.
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 and 70 characters for Unicode messages. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with messages being split and rejoined based on the encoding used.
MMS Support
MMS messages are not directly supported in Sao Tome and Principe. Instead, MMS content is automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content. This ensures compatibility while still allowing businesses to share rich media content with their audience.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Sao Tome and Principe. This means mobile numbers remain tied to their original carrier, which can simplify message routing but limits consumer flexibility in changing providers.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not supported in Sao Tome and Principe. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614) from the API. These messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged for failed attempts.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Sao Tome and Principe
SMS communications in Sao Tome and Principe must comply with general telecommunications regulations and data protection laws. While specific SMS marketing regulations are still evolving, businesses should follow international best practices and general privacy principles to ensure compliance.
Consent and Opt-In
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Obtain clear, explicit consent before sending any marketing messages
Document and maintain records of all opt-in confirmations
Provide clear information about message frequency and content type
Include company identification in consent requests
Best Practices for Consent Collection:
Use double opt-in processes for marketing lists
Store consent timestamps and collection methods
Regularly clean and update consent records
Provide clear terms and conditions during opt-in
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
While Sao Tome and Principe doesn't mandate specific keywords, implementing standard opt-out mechanisms is recommended:
Include STOP option in marketing messages
Support common opt-out keywords (STOP, END, CANCEL)
Process opt-out requests within 24 hours
Consider supporting both Portuguese and English commands
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Sao Tome and Principe currently does not maintain an official Do Not Call registry. However, businesses should:
Maintain internal opt-out databases
Honor all opt-out requests immediately
Keep suppression lists updated
Regularly clean contact databases
Time Zone Sensitivity
Sao Tome and Principe follows GMT+0. Best practices include:
Send messages between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time
Avoid messaging during religious holidays
Respect weekend quiet hours
Only send urgent messages outside these hours
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for in Sao Tome and Principe
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported with dynamic usage allowed Registration requirements: No pre-registration required Sender ID preservation: Sender IDs are generally preserved but may be subject to operator policies
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International: International long codes supported; domestic long codes not currently available Sender ID preservation: Original sender ID typically preserved for international numbers Provisioning time: Immediate to 24 hours Use cases: Transactional messages, alerts, and notifications
Short Codes
Support: Not currently supported in Sao Tome and Principe 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 and services
Unauthorized financial services
Political campaign messages without proper authorization
Pharmaceutical promotions without proper licensing
Content Filtering
Known Filtering Rules:
Messages containing certain keywords may be blocked
URLs may be subject to screening
High-volume identical messages may be filtered
Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:
Avoid spam-triggering words
Use approved URL shorteners
Vary message content for bulk sends
Maintain consistent sending patterns
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Sao Tome and Principe
Consider bilingual messages (Portuguese/English) for business communications
Use appropriate date and time formats
Respect cultural sensitivities
Opt-Out Management
Process opt-outs within 24 hours
Maintain centralized opt-out database
Confirm opt-out with acknowledgment message
Regular audit of opt-out compliance
Testing and Monitoring
Test across major local carriers
Monitor delivery rates closely
Track engagement metrics
Regular performance reporting
SMS API integrations for Sao Tome and Principe
Twilio
Twilio provides reliable SMS delivery to Sao Tome and Principe through their REST API. Here's how to implement it:
import*as Twilio from'twilio';// Initialize client with your credentialsconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);asyncfunctionsendSMS(){try{// Send message to Sao Tome and Principe numberconst message =await client.messages.create({ body:'Your message here',// Keep under 160 chars for single SMS from:'YourSenderID',// Your approved sender ID to:'+239XXXXXXXX'// Sao Tome and Principe number in E.164 format});console.log(`Message sent successfully: ${message.sid}`);return message;}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers direct carrier connections for Sao Tome and Principe. Implementation example: