Armenia SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features

Armenia SMS Market Overview

Market Conditions: Armenia has a well-developed mobile telecommunications market with three major operators: Viva-MTS (formerly VivaCell-MTS), Team (formerly Beeline), and Ucom. SMS remains an important communication channel, particularly for business messaging and authentication purposes, though messaging apps like Viber and Telegram are increasingly popular among consumers. The market shows a strong preference for Android devices, which dominate the mobile operating system landscape in Armenia.

Key SMS Features and Capabilities in Armenia

Armenia supports standard SMS messaging features with some limitations, offering concatenated messaging and alphanumeric sender IDs, though two-way SMS functionality is not available.

Two-way SMS Support

Two-way SMS is not supported in Armenia through major SMS providers. This means businesses cannot receive replies to their SMS messages through standard A2P channels.

Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)

Support: Yes, concatenated messaging is fully supported in Armenia.
Message length rules: Messages are limited to 160 characters before splitting occurs when using GSM-7 encoding, or 70 characters when using UCS-2 encoding for messages containing Unicode characters.
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, with GSM-7 being preferred for standard Latin characters to maximize message length.

MMS Support

MMS messages are not directly supported in Armenia. When attempting to send MMS, the message will be automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link where recipients can view the multimedia content. This ensures message delivery while maintaining compatibility with all mobile devices.

Recipient Phone Number Compatibility

Number Portability

Number portability is available in Armenia, allowing users to keep their phone numbers when switching between mobile operators. This feature does not significantly impact SMS delivery or routing as messages are automatically routed to the correct carrier.

Sending SMS to Landlines

SMS cannot be sent to landline numbers in Armenia. Attempts to send messages to landline numbers will result in delivery failure, typically generating a 400 response with error code 21614. These messages will not appear in logs and accounts will not be charged for failed delivery attempts.

Compliance and Regulatory Guidelines for SMS in Armenia

Armenia's telecommunications sector is regulated by the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC). While specific SMS marketing laws are less stringent compared to other European countries, businesses should follow international best practices for responsible messaging.

Consent and Opt-In

While Armenia doesn't have explicit opt-in requirements, it's strongly recommended to:

• Obtain and document explicit consent before sending marketing messages
• Maintain clear records of how and when consent was obtained
• Provide transparent information about message frequency and content type
• Include clear terms and conditions during the opt-in process

HELP/STOP and Other Commands

While not legally mandated, implementing HELP/STOP functionality is considered best practice:

• Support both Armenian and English keywords for opt-out commands
• Common Armenian opt-out keywords include "????????" (STOP) and "????????????????????" (HELP)
• Process opt-out requests within 24 hours
• Send confirmation messages in the user's preferred language

Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries

Armenia does not maintain an official Do Not Disturb registry. However, businesses should:

• Maintain their own suppression lists
• Honor opt-out requests immediately
• Keep records of opted-out numbers for at least 12 months
• Regularly clean contact lists to remove inactive or opted-out numbers

Time Zone Sensitivity

Armenia observes GMT+4 time zone. While there are no legal restrictions on messaging hours:

• Recommended sending window: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM local time
• Avoid sending messages on major Armenian holidays
• Reserve after-hours messaging for urgent notifications only

Phone Numbers Options and SMS Sender Types for Armenia

Alphanumeric Sender ID

Operator network capability: Supported with pre-registration
Registration requirements: Pre-registration required, typically taking 3 weeks for approval
Sender ID preservation: Yes, preserved when properly registered
Best practices:

• Limited to 11 characters
• Must not impersonate other brands
• Cannot contain special characters

Long Codes

Domestic vs. International: International long codes supported; domestic long codes not available
Sender ID preservation: No, sender IDs may be overwritten by carriers
Provisioning time: Immediate for international long codes
Use cases:

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

Short Codes

Support: Not currently available in Armenia
Provisioning time: N/A
Use cases: N/A

Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases

The following content types and industries face restrictions:

• Gambling and betting services
• Political campaign messages
• Adult content or pornographic material
• Religious content
• Illegal drugs or controlled substances

Content Filtering

Known carrier filtering rules:

• Messages containing restricted keywords may be blocked
• URLs from suspicious domains are often filtered
• High-volume sending from new sender IDs may be throttled

Best practices to avoid filtering:

• Avoid URL shorteners
• Use registered sender IDs consistently
• Maintain steady sending volumes
• Avoid excessive punctuation and all-caps text

Best Practices for Sending SMS in Armenia

Messaging Strategy

• Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Include clear calls-to-action
• Personalize messages using recipient's name or relevant details
• Maintain consistent sender ID across campaigns

Sending Frequency and Timing

• Limit marketing messages to 2-4 per month per recipient
• Space out messages to avoid overwhelming users
• Consider Armenian holidays and cultural events
• Monitor engagement rates to optimize sending times

Localization

• Support both Armenian and Russian languages
• Use proper character encoding for Armenian alphabet
• Consider cultural nuances in message content
• Offer language preference selection during opt-in

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 messages across all major carriers (Viva-MTS, Team, Ucom)
• Monitor delivery rates by carrier
• Track engagement metrics and adjust strategy accordingly
• Regularly test opt-out functionality

SMS API integrations for Armenia

Twilio

Twilio provides a robust REST API for sending SMS messages to Armenia. Authentication is handled via account SID and auth token.

import * as Twilio from 'twilio';

// Initialize Twilio client with your credentials
const accountSid = process.env.TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID;
const authToken = process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN;

const client = new Twilio(accountSid, authToken);

async function sendSMSToArmenia(
  to: string,
  message: string,
  senderId: string
) {
  try {
    // Ensure phone number is in E.164 format for Armenia (+374...)
    const formattedNumber = to.startsWith('+374') ? to : `+374${to}`;
    
    const response = await client.messages.create({
      body: message,
      from: senderId, // Pre-registered alphanumeric sender ID
      to: formattedNumber,
    });
    
    console.log(`Message sent successfully! SID: ${response.sid}`);
    return response;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Sinch

Sinch offers a straightforward REST API with bearer token authentication for SMS delivery to Armenia.

import axios from 'axios';

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

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

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string, senderId: string) {
    try {
      const response = await axios.post(
        `${this.baseUrl}/${this.servicePlanId}/batches`,
        {
          from: senderId,
          to: [to],
          body: message
        },
        {
          headers: {
            'Authorization': `Bearer ${this.apiToken}`,
            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
          }
        }
      );
      
      return response.data;
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Sinch SMS sending failed:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

MessageBird

MessageBird provides a feature-rich API for sending SMS to Armenia with comprehensive delivery reporting.

import messagebird from 'messagebird';

class MessageBirdClient {
  private client: any;

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

  sendSMS(to: string, message: string, senderId: string): Promise<any> {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      this.client.messages.create({
        originator: senderId,
        recipients: [to],
        body: message,
        type: 'sms'
      }, (err: any, response: any) => {
        if (err) {
          reject(err);
        } else {
          resolve(response);
        }
      });
    });
  }
}

Plivo

Plivo offers a reliable SMS API with support for Armenian carriers and detailed delivery tracking.

import plivo from 'plivo';

class PlivoSMSClient {
  private client: any;

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

  async sendSMS(to: string, message: string, senderId: string) {
    try {
      const response = await this.client.messages.create({
        src: senderId, // Your sender ID
        dst: to,      // Destination number
        text: message,
        url_strip_query_params: false
      });
      
      return response;
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Plivo SMS sending failed:', error);
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

API Rate Limits and Throughput

• Default rate limits vary by provider (typically 1-10 messages per second)
• Implement exponential backoff for retry logic
• Consider using queuing systems like Redis or RabbitMQ for high-volume sending
• Batch messages when possible to optimize throughput

Error Handling and Reporting

• Implement comprehensive error logging
• Monitor delivery receipts (DLRs)
• Track common error codes:
  • Invalid number format
  • Network errors
  • Rate limit exceeded
  • Invalid sender ID

Recap and Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

1. Compliance Priorities

   • Pre-register alphanumeric sender IDs
   • Maintain opt-out lists
   • Follow recommended sending hours

2. Technical Considerations

   • Use E.164 number formatting
   • Implement proper error handling
   • Monitor delivery rates

3. Best Practices

   • Localize content for Armenian audience
   • Test across all major carriers
   • Maintain consistent sending patterns

Next Steps

1. Review the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) guidelines
2. Consult legal counsel for compliance verification
3. Set up test accounts with preferred SMS providers
4. Implement proper monitoring and reporting systems

Additional Information

• Official Resources

  • PSRC Official Website
  • Armenian Telecommunications Law

• Industry Guidelines

  • Mobile Marketing Association Guidelines
  • GSMA SMS Guidelines

• Technical Documentation

  • Armenian Character Encoding Standards
  • E.164 Number Formatting Guide