Frequently Asked Questions
Format the recipient's phone number with the +378 country code and use an SMS API like Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, or Plivo. These APIs provide easy integration and reliable delivery to San Marino numbers. Ensure your messages adhere to local regulations and best practices for optimal delivery rates.
San Marino adheres to standard SMS character limits: 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 characters for UCS-2. Concatenated messages are not supported, so keep individual messages within these limits.
MMS is automatically converted to SMS with a URL link because San Marino has limitations on direct MMS support. This method allows for rich media content delivery by hosting content externally and linking to it within the SMS message.
Adhere to the 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Central European Time (CET/CEST) window. Avoid sending messages during public holidays and consider Italian holidays due to close ties between the regions. Emergency messages are an exception.
Yes, alphanumeric sender IDs are supported in San Marino and do not require pre-registration. Sender IDs are usually preserved, though variations may occur based on carrier networks.
San Marino's data protection law (Law No. 171 of 2018), aligned with GDPR, mandates explicit consent for marketing messages. You must offer clear opt-out instructions (STOP, ANNULLA, AIUTO, INFO), maintain meticulous consent records, and respect user privacy.
Process opt-out requests (STOP, ANNULLA) within 24 hours. Maintain comprehensive records of opt-outs, including dates and methods. Ensure all marketing messages contain clear opt-out instructions and regularly audit your compliance.
Gambling, adult content, cryptocurrency promotions, unauthorized political messaging, and religious content without consent are restricted. Avoid content that may trigger carrier filters, like suspicious URLs and excessive punctuation.
Prioritize concise messages under 160 characters, clear calls to action, and personalized content. Limit sending frequency to 2-3 messages per week, respect local time zones, and always offer an opt-out option.
Use the Twilio REST API with your account SID and auth token. Format San Marino numbers with +378, specify your alphanumeric sender ID or long code, and implement status callbacks for delivery tracking.
Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird, and Plivo all provide APIs with robust features for sending and managing SMS messages to San Marino, including delivery reports and support for various sender ID types.
Adhere to provider rate limits (usually 1-10 messages per second) and use exponential backoff for retries. Consider queue systems like Redis or RabbitMQ for high-volume sending to ensure smooth delivery without exceeding limits.
Common errors include 21614 (invalid number format), 21408 (rate limit exceeded), and 21611 (message content rejected). Monitor these codes through webhooks and maintain detailed error logs for troubleshooting.
Consult the San Marino Data Protection Authority website, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, and available SMS compliance guidelines for detailed information on local regulations and best practices.
San Marino SMS Best Practices, Compliance, and Features
Sending SMS messages to San Marino (+378) requires understanding specific compliance requirements, phone number formats, and technical limitations. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about SMS delivery to San Marino, including GDPR-aligned Law 171 compliance, alphanumeric sender IDs, message character limits, and API integration examples for Twilio, Sinch, Plivo, and MessageBird.
San Marino SMS Market Overview
Market Conditions: San Marino maintains modern telecommunications infrastructure despite its small population of approximately 33,600 (DataReportal, 2024). Mobile teledensity reached 121.8% in December 2022 (approximately 40,000 subscriptions), indicating most people use multiple devices. TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile) is the dominant carrier, providing 5G coverage to 99% of the territory as of December 2018.
Delivery Performance: Expect delivery rates above 95% to mobile numbers when you use properly formatted sender IDs and compliant content. Messages typically deliver in 3–10 seconds during normal network conditions.
Key SMS Features and Capabilities in San Marino
San Marino supports basic SMS functionality with limitations on advanced features. All services route through Italian carriers because San Marino lacks domestic telecommunication infrastructure.
Two-Way SMS Support
San Marino does not support two-way SMS according to current provider specifications. You cannot receive replies through standard A2P channels.
Workarounds for two-way communication:
Concatenated Messages (Segmented SMS)
Support: San Marino does not support concatenated messages.
Message length rules: Standard SMS character limits apply – 160 characters for GSM-7 encoding and 70 characters for Unicode (UCS-2).
Encoding considerations: Both GSM-7 and UCS-2 encodings are supported, though messages cannot be concatenated.
Character counting and truncation:
|
,^
,€
,{
,}
,[
,]
,~
,\\
) count as 2 characters eachExample truncation detection:
MMS Support
MMS messages are automatically converted to SMS with an embedded URL link. Host multimedia content separately and link it within the message body.
Best practices for multimedia content hosting:
San Marino Phone Number Format (+378)
Number Portability
San Marino does not offer number portability. Mobile numbers remain tied to their original carriers.
Carrier identification: According to Wikipedia, San Marino phone numbers follow these patterns:
Sending SMS to Landlines
You cannot send SMS to landline numbers in San Marino. Attempts to send to landlines fail with a 400 response error (error code 21614) from messaging APIs. These messages won't appear in logs, and you won't be charged.
Landline detection validation:
San Marino SMS Compliance and GDPR Regulations
San Marino follows Data Protection Law (Law No. 171 of 21 December 2018), which aligns closely with GDPR principles. The Authority for Personal Data Protection (Autorità Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali) oversees compliance. All SMS communications must adhere to these standards, particularly regarding personal data processing and storage.
Penalties for non-compliance: Following GDPR-aligned principles, penalties can reach up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover (whichever is higher) for serious violations including:
Data retention requirements:
Consent and Opt-In Requirements
Explicit Consent Requirements:
Consent refresh: Re-confirm consent every 24 months for marketing communications, or when you significantly change how you process data. Transactional messages do not require consent renewal if within the original scope.
HELP/STOP and Other Commands
Example message templates:
Italian HELP response:
English HELP response:
Italian STOP confirmation:
English STOP confirmation:
Implementation for keyword detection:
Do Not Call / Do Not Disturb Registries
San Marino doesn't maintain a centralized Do Not Call registry. However, you should:
Time Zone Sensitivity
San Marino follows Central European Time (CET/CEST):
San Marino Public Holidays (2025) (source):
Alphanumeric Sender ID and Phone Number Options
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 as sent
Character limits and requirements (industry standard):
Best practices for effective sender IDs:
Long Codes
Domestic vs. International:
Sender ID preservation: Original sender IDs are typically preserved
Provisioning time: 1–3 business days for international long codes
Use cases: Ideal for transactional messages and two-factor authentication
Cost considerations: International long codes typically cost $1–5/month per number plus per-message fees ($0.01–0.05 per SMS). Domestic options, when available, may have lower per-message costs but similar monthly fees.
Short Codes
Support: San Marino does not currently support short codes
Provisioning time: Not applicable
Use cases: Not available for marketing or authentication purposes
Short codes are unavailable in San Marino due to small market size and lack of local infrastructure. Italian carrier infrastructure does not extend short code support to San Marino numbers.
Restricted SMS Content, Industries, and Use Cases
Restricted Industries and Content:
Examples of violations:
Enforcement and penalties: Violations result in:
Content Filtering
Known Carrier Filters:
Best Practices to Avoid Filtering:
Excessive punctuation definition:
Message formatting comparison:
Well-formatted (not filtered):
Likely to be filtered:
Best Practices for Sending SMS in San Marino
Messaging Strategy
Effective CTAs in SMS:
Sending Frequency and Timing
Optimal bulk send spacing: For campaigns over 1,000 messages:
Localization
Common Italian SMS phrases:
Character encoding troubleshooting:
Opt-Out Management
Testing and Monitoring
Delivery rate benchmarks:
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
SMS API Integration Examples for San Marino
Twilio SMS API Integration
Twilio provides a REST API for sending SMS messages to San Marino. Store your account SID and auth token securely in environment variables for authentication.
Sinch SMS API Integration
Sinch offers an API for SMS delivery to San Marino with delivery reports and batch sending.
MessageBird SMS API Integration
MessageBird provides an API for sending SMS to San Marino with delivery tracking.
Plivo SMS API Integration
Plivo offers SMS delivery to San Marino with detailed delivery insights.
API Rate Limits and Throughput
Provider-specific rate limits:
Rate limiting implementation example:
Error Handling and Reporting
Common error codes across providers:
Retry strategies by error type:
Troubleshooting Common SMS Issues in San Marino
Common Issues and Solutions
Issue: Messages not delivering
Issue: High bounce rate
Issue: Messages being filtered
Issue: Rate limiting errors
Key Takeaways
Essential SMS Best Practices for San Marino:
Next Steps
Implementation Checklist:
Additional Resources
Official Documentation:
Community and Support: