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Syria SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Syria SMS Market Overview
Locale name:
Syria
ISO code:
SY
Region
Middle East & Africa
Mobile country code (MCC)
417
Dialing Code
+963
Market Conditions: Syria's telecommunications infrastructure faces significant challenges due to ongoing political situations, resulting in poor message delivery rates. The market is primarily served by two major operators - Syriatel and MTN Syria. SMS remains an important channel for transactional and OTP messages, though delivery reliability is inconsistent. Currently, only OTT brands and banking institutions are permitted to send A2P SMS traffic into Syria.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Syria
Syria maintains strict controls over SMS capabilities, with limited support for advanced features and a focus on essential communications like OTP and banking notifications.
Two-way SMS Support
Two-way SMS is not supported in Syria. The infrastructure only allows for one-way messaging from authorized senders to end users.
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: Yes, concatenation is supported, though availability may vary by sender ID type. Message length rules: Standard SMS length limits apply before concatenation occurs. Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encoding are supported, with UCS-2 available for messages requiring Arabic character sets.
MMS Support
MMS messages are not directly supported in Syria. Any attempted MMS will be automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link to access the media content. This conversion helps ensure message delivery while still allowing users to access multimedia content when needed.
Recipient Phone Number Compatibility
Number Portability
Number portability is not available in Syria. Mobile numbers remain tied to their original carrier, which simplifies routing but limits consumer flexibility.
Sending SMS to Landlines
Sending SMS to landline numbers is not possible in Syria. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in a failed delivery and an error response (400 error code 21614 for Twilio API users). These messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged.
Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Syria
Syria maintains strict regulatory control over SMS communications, with oversight from the Syrian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. Currently, only OTP (One-Time Password) and banking-related SMS traffic is permitted, with all other forms of marketing or promotional content strictly prohibited.
Consent and Opt-In
While traditional marketing messages are not allowed, businesses sending OTP or banking messages must still:
Obtain and maintain clear records of user consent
Document the specific purpose for which the number will be used
Provide clear terms of service at the point of number collection
Maintain detailed logs of consent acquisition
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Due to the restricted nature of SMS in Syria (OTP and banking only), traditional HELP/STOP commands are not typically implemented. However, it's recommended to:
Include clear service identifiers in each message
Provide customer support contact information where applicable
Support both English and Arabic keywords for any implemented commands
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
Syria does not maintain an official Do Not Call or Do Not Disturb registry. However, organizations should:
Maintain their own suppression lists
Immediately honor any opt-out requests received through customer service channels
Implement internal blacklisting procedures for invalid or complained numbers
Time Zone Sensitivity
Syria operates in the Eastern European Time zone (UTC+2/+3). While there are no explicit time restrictions for sending messages, best practices include:
Limiting non-urgent messages to 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM local time
Sending OTP messages any time as needed for security purposes
Considering Ramadan and other religious observances when timing messages
Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Syria
Alphanumeric Sender ID
Operator network capability: Supported Registration requirements: Pre-registration not required, but all traffic will be overwritten with numeric Sender IDs Sender ID preservation: No - all sender IDs are overwritten to ensure delivery
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International: Only international long codes are supported; domestic long codes are not available Sender ID preservation: No - original sender IDs are not preserved Provisioning time: Immediate for international numbers Use cases: Limited to OTP and banking communications
Short Codes
Support: Not supported in Syria Provisioning time: N/A Use cases: N/A
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Syria maintains strict content restrictions:
Prohibited Content: Political messages, religious content, marketing/promotional material
Allowed Industries: Banking sector, OTP service providers
Restricted Verticals: All other industries are effectively restricted from sending SMS
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Filtering Rules:
All messages must be transactional in nature
Content must match registered use case (banking or OTP)
Political and religious references are automatically blocked
Marketing language triggers automatic filtering
Tips to Avoid Blocking:
Keep messages purely transactional
Avoid promotional language or calls to action
Use registered and approved message templates
Include clear business identifier in each message
Best Practices for Sending SMS in Syria
Messaging Strategy
Focus exclusively on essential communications
Use clear, straightforward language
Include only necessary transaction details
Avoid any promotional or marketing content
Sending Frequency and Timing
Send only when absolutely necessary
Limit to one message per transaction
Space out non-urgent banking notifications
Consider religious and cultural observances
Localization
Support both Arabic and English
Use proper Arabic character encoding
Consider right-to-left text formatting
Maintain consistent language choice per user
Opt-Out Management
Maintain accurate user preference records
Honor opt-out requests immediately
Document all preference changes
Provide clear customer support channels
Testing and Monitoring
Test delivery across both major carriers
Monitor delivery rates closely
Track failure patterns and adjust accordingly
Maintain delivery success rate logs
SMS API integrations for Syria
Twilio
Twilio provides a straightforward REST API for sending SMS to Syria. Note that all traffic will be overwritten with numeric Sender IDs to ensure delivery.
import{ Twilio }from'twilio';// Initialize the client with your credentialsconst client =newTwilio( process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID, process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN);asyncfunctionsendSMS(to:string, message:string){try{// Ensure phone number is in E.164 format (+963XXXXXXXXX)const response =await client.messages.create({ body: message, to: to,// Syrian number from: process.env.TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER,// Your Twilio number// Note: Sender ID will be overwritten for Syria});console.log(`Message sent successfully. SID: ${response.sid}`);return response;}catch(error){console.error('Error sending message:', error);throw error;}}
Sinch
Sinch offers SMS capabilities for Syria through their REST API, supporting both transactional and OTP messages.
import{ SinchClient }from'@sinch/sdk-core';const sinchClient =newSinchClient({ projectId: process.env.SINCH_PROJECT_ID, keyId: process.env.SINCH_KEY_ID, keySecret: process.env.SINCH_KEY_SECRET});asyncfunctionsendSMS(to:string, message:string){try{const response =await sinchClient.sms.batches.send({ sendSMSRequestBody:{ to:[to],// Syrian number in E.164 format from:'YourBrand',// Will be overwritten for Syria body: message,// Delivery report callback URL (optional) deliveryReport:'none'}});console.log('Message sent:', response);return response;}catch(error){console.error('Failed to send message:', error);throw error;}}
MessageBird
MessageBird provides SMS API access to Syria with support for transactional messaging.
import messagebird from'messagebird';const messageBirdClient =messagebird(process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_API_KEY);functionsendSMS(to:string, message:string):Promise<any>{returnnewPromise((resolve, reject)=>{ messageBirdClient.messages.create({ originator:'YourBrand',// Will be overwritten recipients:[to],// Syrian number body: message, type:'sms'// Specify message type},(err, response)=>{if(err){console.error('Error:', err);reject(err);}else{console.log('Message sent:', response);resolve(response);}});});}
Plivo
Plivo offers SMS capabilities for Syria through their REST API interface.
import plivo from'plivo';const client =newplivo.Client( process.env.PLIVO_AUTH_ID, process.env.PLIVO_AUTH_TOKEN);asyncfunctionsendSMS(to:string, message:string){try{const response =await client.messages.create({ src: process.env.PLIVO_PHONE_NUMBER,// Your Plivo number dst: to,// Syrian number in E.164 format text: message,// Optional parameters url:'https://your-callback-url.com/status', method:'POST'});console.log('Message sent:', response);return response;}catch(error){console.error('Failed to send message:', error);throw error;}}
API Rate Limits and Throughput
Standard rate limits vary by provider but typically range from 1-10 messages per second
Implement exponential backoff for retry logic
Consider using queuing systems like Redis or RabbitMQ for high-volume sending
Monitor delivery rates and adjust sending patterns accordingly
Error Handling and Reporting
Implement comprehensive error logging
Monitor delivery receipts when available
Track common failure patterns
Maintain separate logs for different error types (network, validation, carrier)
Set up alerts for unusual error rates
Recap and Additional Resources
Key Takeaways
Compliance Focus
Only OTP and banking messages allowed
No marketing or promotional content
Sender IDs are always overwritten
Technical Considerations
Poor delivery rates due to infrastructure
Support for both Arabic and English
Limited features compared to other markets
Best Practices
Keep messages purely transactional
Test thoroughly across carriers
Implement proper error handling
Monitor delivery rates closely
Next Steps
Review Syria's telecommunications regulations
Consult with SMS providers about specific requirements