Understanding SMS Billing, Rules, and Restrictions (myshopline.com)

 

SmartPush allows you to send international marketing SMS messages to recipients in various countries and regions worldwide. This article explains the applicable countries and regions, billing rules, and content restrictions for SMS services.

 

In This Article

 


 

Applicable Countries and Regions

You can send SMS messages to recipients (contacts) in the following 17 countries and regions. SmartPush does not provide SMS services beyond the countries or regions listed below.

Available Countries or Regions Country Code
New Zealand +64
Australia +61
Japan +81
Singapore +65
Taiwan +886
Hong Kong +852
Malaysia +60
Germany +49
Italy +39
Spain +34
Netherland +31
France +33
United Kingdoms +44
Ireland +353
United States +1
Canada +1
Mexico +52

 


 

SMS Billing Rules

According to local laws and carrier regulations, some countries and regions require SMS to display the sender's name or number. SmartPush does not support sending marketing SMS to non-subscribers. Refer to Applying for Your SMS Sender Number for details.

 

Billing Standards

SmartPush charges based on the number of SMS messages sent. Rates vary by country or region. You can view the latest rates when topping up your SMS quota or consult your customer service representative. Below is a detailed explanation of the character limits for a single SMS message.

 

Character Count Rules

  • Pure English SMS
    SMS messages containing only English or Western characters are calculated as follows:
    • Each standard character counts as 1 character. Each extended character counts as 2 characters.
      Standard characters

      ! " # $ % ' ( ) * + , - . / : ; < = > ? @ _ ¡ £ ¥ § ¿ & ¤

      0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

      A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

      a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

      Ä Å Æ Ç É Ñ Ø ø Ü ß Ö à ä å æ è é ì ñ ò ö ù ü Δ Φ Γ Λ Ω Π Ψ Σ Θ Ξ

      Extended characters | ^ € { } [ ] ~ \
    • A single SMS message accommodates up to 160 characters. When exceeding 160 characters, the message is split into multiple messages at 153 characters per SMS. For example, A 320-character SMS will be split into 3 messages (153+153+14).
  • Non-English SMS
    SMS messages containing non-English or Western characters are calculated as follows:
    • Chinese characters, numbers, both half- and full-width punctuations, and spaces are counted as 1 character each.
    • A single SMS message accommodates up to 70 characters. When exceeding 70 characters, the message is split into multiple messages at 67 characters per SMS. For example, A 150-character SMS will be split into 3 messages (67+67+16).

 

Character Count Preview

When setting up an SMS marketing campaign, the preview section will display the character count and estimated number of SMS messages based on billing rules. The calculation includes your brand name in the header and Add-on information in the footer.

Note: If your SMS messages include links and variables, the estimated character count and SMS count may differ from the actual results.

 


 

Content Restrictions

To maintain a clean SMS marketing environment, SmartPush enforces strict rules and regulations based on local laws. These rules are designed to ensure compliance and protect customer rights. Please read the following guidelines carefully to avoid sending spam SMS.

  • You may not send SMS messages containing the following: pornography, gambling, drugs, party and government, legal rights protection, crowdfunding, charity fundraising, religion, superstition, stocks, studying abroad and immigration, interviews and recruitment, lottery, loans, overdue notices, credit limit raising, investment and financial services, prizewinning, lucky draws, lightning deals, external-link e-commerce platforms, counterfeits, plastic surgery, tobacco and alcohol, blind dating, violence, intimidation, furs, cashback deals, rebate deals, agent invoicing, information forbidden by carriers, proxy registration, agent certification, invitation to social media accounts or QQ and WeChat groups, personal information selling, carriers’ business, traffic marketing, information that violates the advertising law, empty package scalping, requests for positive reviews, store transfer, user acquisition, crowdsourcing, POS machines, and reward points redemption.
  • Incorrect or intentionally altered words and unusual symbols are prohibited in phrases or keywords.
  • Do not include unauthorized mixed-language expressions or unusual formatting.
  • SmartPush reserves the right to take action against violations, including reporting illegal activities or harm to third parties. Ensure compliance to maintain account security and avoid sending non-compliant SMS messages.

 

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