Bulk SMS in Algeria: ARPCE, Sender ID, Arabic and French
Bulk SMS Algeria guide: ARPCE, sender ID for Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo, Law 18-07 consent, Arabic Unicode vs French GSM-7 accents, OTP and promotions.
By OmniChannels.ai Editorial Team · Reviewed by BroadNet Messaging Solutions Team
SMS & OTP
Short answer
To send bulk SMS in Algeria, use a provider with routes to Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo Algeria, register your alphanumeric sender ID (Latin or Arabic, up to 11 characters) through the operators, and message only people who gave verifiable consent under the personal data law (Law 18-07). Include a STOP / ايقاف opt-out, keep OTPs apart from promotions, and plan for Arabic text to use Unicode (70 characters) while unaccented French fits 160.
On this page
- What rules apply to bulk SMS in Algeria?
- Which operators carry SMS in Algeria?
- How does sender ID registration work in Algeria?
- What consent do you need before you send?
- How do Arabic and French affect SMS length in Algeria?
- How should you separate OTP and promotional traffic?
- When should you send promotional SMS?
- Should you add WhatsApp to your SMS in Algeria?
- A worked example: a service business in Algiers
- What are the common mistakes?
- How OmniChannels.ai helps
Key takeaways
- The regulator is ARPCE (Autorité de Régulation de la Poste et des Communications Électroniques). Our regulation data lists Mobilis and Djezzy sender ID rules as set by the operators, a typical lead time of 10 to 14 business days, and alphanumeric IDs in Latin or Arabic up to 11 characters.
- Three mobile networks appear in our coverage data, all with direct routes: Mobilis (603-01), Djezzy (603-02) and Ooredoo Algeria (603-03).
- Our regulation data calls for verifiable opt-in (source, timestamp, IP, channel) and a STOP / ايقاف opt-out on every marketing message. Algeria's personal data law is Law 18-07 of 10 June 2018, supervised by the ANPDP.
- Arabic messages are Unicode and hold 70 characters (67 per part). French is GSM-7 only if it avoids characters such as ê, â, î, ô and û, which push the whole message to Unicode.
- We have not found a regulator-published time-of-day window for promotional SMS in Algeria. Send promotions in local daytime and keep OTPs and alerts on a transactional route.
This guide is for e-commerce, banking, telecom-adjacent and service teams that want to send business SMS to mobile numbers in Algeria: OTPs, delivery alerts, reminders and promotions. It explains who regulates what, how sender IDs work, what consent evidence to keep, and how Arabic and French text change message length. It is a practical overview, not legal advice; confirm requirements with Algerian counsel and the operators before you launch.
What rules apply to bulk SMS in Algeria?
Three layers apply: telecom regulation by ARPCE, operator policy on sender IDs and routes, and the personal data law. None is labelled a "bulk SMS law", so you assemble the picture from each.
| Layer | What it covers | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| ARPCE | Telecom regulator for the market | arpce.dz |
| Mobilis, Djezzy, Ooredoo Algeria | Sender ID set-up, routes, content filtering | Your provider confirms at onboarding |
| Law 18-07 of 10 June 2018 | Protection of natural persons in personal data processing; consent and data subject rights | NATLEX entry |
Our regulation data lists ARPCE as the regulator and records that sender ID requirements are set by the operators, so the rule that matters on launch day is the one your operator route enforces. Law 18-07 created a national authority for personal data protection (the ANPDP); read its current guidance before designing sign-up flows, because secondary sources disagree on details such as notification and authorisation duties.
Which operators carry SMS in Algeria?
Three mobile networks appear in our coverage data, each with a direct route.
| Operator | MCC-MNC |
|---|---|
| Mobilis | 603-01 |
| Djezzy | 603-02 |
| Ooredoo Algeria | 603-03 |
Our regulation data names Mobilis and Djezzy in its sender ID line and our coverage data adds Ooredoo Algeria, so confirm sender ID handling on all three. Read delivery reports per operator, not just a blended rate. A healthy overall figure can hide a weak network; our guide to improving SMS delivery rates shows how to diagnose it.
How does sender ID registration work in Algeria?
Business SMS uses an alphanumeric sender ID of up to 11 characters, in Latin or Arabic script, which shows your brand instead of a number. Our data says requirements are set by the operators and confirmed at onboarding, with a typical lead time of 10 to 14 business days. Treat it as typical, not guaranteed.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Classify | Decide which traffic is transactional (OTP, alerts) and which is promotional; plan one sender ID for each |
| 2. Choose names | Use your registered brand; avoid names that imitate operators, banks or government bodies |
| 3. Prepare documents | Company registration papers and an authorisation letter naming the sender IDs and your provider |
| 4. Submit | Your provider files with the operators; track each approval separately |
| 5. Test | Send an OTP and a promotion to Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo handsets |
Our sender ID letter generator drafts the authorisation letter, and the sender ID checker and Algeria sender ID page show the current position. If you want us to prepare and file the registration with you, see registrations; approval decisions stay with the operators and regulators. For background on formats, read SMS sender ID types explained.
What consent do you need before you send?
Plan on documented, verifiable opt-in for marketing, and an opt-out on every promotional message. Our regulation data requires opt-in evidence (logged source, timestamp, IP and channel) retained for the life of the marketing relationship, and a STOP / ايقاف keyword that is honoured network-wide.
A safe routine follows:
- Capture consent with a record: the wording shown, the date and time, the channel and the number.
- Say who is sending and why at sign-up, in the customer's language.
- Honour opt-outs immediately and share the suppression list across campaigns and channels.
- Collect only the data you need and keep it only as long as the purpose requires.
- Do not buy lists. Purchased numbers have no consent trail.
For wording, our opt-in consent generator drafts a consent text, and the guide to opt-in consent across channels shows how to record it. Definitions: opt-in and opt-out.
How do Arabic and French affect SMS length in Algeria?
Arabic text is sent as Unicode and holds 70 characters in one message (67 per part when split). French fits the 160-character GSM 7-bit alphabet only if every character is in it. The alphabet includes é, è, ù, à and ç, but not ê, â, î, ô, û or ë. One such letter switches the whole message to Unicode. See GSM-7, Unicode SMS and concatenated SMS.
| Encoding | Single message | Per part when concatenated |
|---|---|---|
| GSM 7-bit | 160 characters | 153 |
| Unicode (UCS-2) | 70 characters | 67 |
These examples were counted against the limits (synthetic brand "Oasis Optique"):
| Message | Encoding | Characters | Parts |
|---|---|---|---|
Oasis: votre code est 482913. Ne le partagez avec personne. |
GSM-7 | 59 | 1 |
Oasis Optique: -20% sur les montures jusqu'à dimanche. Détails: oasis.example/o Répondez STOP pour ne plus recevoir. |
GSM-7 | 116 | 1 |
Oasis Optique: votre commande est prête en magasin. |
Unicode (ê) | 51 | 1 |
Oasis Optique: votre commande est prete en magasin. |
GSM-7 | 51 | 1 |
رمز التحقق: 482913. لا تشاركه مع أحد. واحة |
Unicode | 42 | 1 |
واحة للبصريات: خصم 20% على الإطارات حتى الأحد. للإلغاء أرسل ايقاف |
Unicode | 65 | 1 |
واحة للبصريات: خصم 20% على الإطارات حتى الأحد. التفاصيل: oasis.example/o للإلغاء أرسل ايقاف |
Unicode | 91 | 2 |
Rows 3 and 4 show how a single circumflex changes the encoding, though not the length here. At 160 characters versus 70, the difference matters for longer copy. Dropping accents saves cost but can hurt readability, so most brands keep correct French in Unicode when the message is short and the part count stays at one. Check final copy in the SMS character counter, and see SMS character limits and Unicode for Arabic specifics.
How should you separate OTP and promotional traffic?
Keep OTPs, order alerts and other service messages on a transactional sender ID and route, and promotions on their own. A promotion inside an OTP puts your login codes at risk if the promotional route is filtered.
| Traffic | Example | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional | OTP, payment confirmation, delivery alert | No promotion inside; own sender ID; any hour |
| Promotional | Sale, new product, loyalty offer | Consented numbers only; opt-out in the message; daytime schedule |
| Mixed | "Your order shipped. Get 20% off your next one" | Avoid; the offer makes it promotional |
Our regulation data records transactional traffic as running 24/7. For OTP content and security, read the OTP authentication messages guide and the OTP message generator.
When should you send promotional SMS?
We have not found a regulator-published time-of-day window for promotional SMS in Algeria, and our regulation data records none. Agree sending hours with your provider and the operators, send promotions in local daytime (Algeria Time, UTC+1) and avoid late evenings. The send time planner helps schedule campaigns, and SMS marketing rules by country compares hours across markets.
Should you add WhatsApp to your SMS in Algeria?
Use SMS for reach and OTPs, and WhatsApp for richer, opted-in conversations. SMS reaches any handset without an app; WhatsApp supports media, buttons and replies from customers who have opted in. A common pattern is WhatsApp first with SMS as fallback; see WhatsApp vs SMS vs RCS and channel fallback strategy.
A worked example: a service business in Algiers
"Oasis Optique" (synthetic) has 12 shops and wants OTPs for its loyalty app, pickup alerts and a monthly promotion.
- It registers two sender IDs, one transactional and one promotional, in Latin script and an Arabic version, and tests both on Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo.
- Customers choose Arabic or French when they sign up; the choice, timestamp and channel are stored with the number.
- OTPs and pickup alerts are short, with no promotion, and French copy avoids circumflex letters where the team prefers GSM-7.
- The monthly offer is checked against the suppression list, scheduled for local daytime, and carries a STOP / ايقاف instruction.
- Opt-outs from replies and links feed one suppression list that also covers WhatsApp and email.
What are the common mistakes?
- No consent evidence. Without a timestamp and source you cannot answer a complaint.
- One sender ID for everything. A filtered promotion can take OTPs down with it.
- Untested Arabic sender names. Test rendering on real handsets on each network.
- A stray circumflex. One ê turns a 160-character message into a 70-character one.
- Treating lead times as promises. Add buffer beyond 10 to 14 business days.
- Blended delivery reports. Always read per-operator results.
How OmniChannels.ai helps
OmniChannels.ai is powered by BroadNet, which has direct routes to Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo Algeria in our coverage data. We prepare and file sender ID registration with you, support Arabic and French content, and give you per-operator delivery reports, with SMPP 3.4 for high volume. For indicative list prices, see the Algeria SMS pricing page, then book a demo. Small team? Our SMS marketing guide for small businesses covers the basics.
Frequently asked questions
Is bulk SMS legal in Algeria?
Yes. Businesses send OTPs, alerts and marketing SMS, provided they use a legitimate route, hold valid consent for marketing and respect opt-outs. There is no single statute called a bulk SMS law, so the rules come from ARPCE, the operators and the personal data law, Law 18-07. Confirm specifics with Algerian counsel before launch.
Do I need to register a sender ID in Algeria?
Plan on it. Our regulation data says sender ID rules for Mobilis and Djezzy are set by the operators and that BroadNet confirms current requirements during onboarding, with a typical lead time of 10 to 14 business days. That is a typical range, not a promise. Test delivery on all three networks before a launch.
Can I use an Arabic sender ID in Algeria?
Our regulation data lists alphanumeric sender IDs in Latin or Arabic, up to 11 characters. Arabic names are shown by handsets that support the script, so test on real devices across all three networks. Keep one consistent brand name across SMS, WhatsApp and your website so recipients recognise it.
Do I need consent to send promotional SMS in Algeria?
Treat it as required. Our regulation data calls for verifiable opt-in with a logged source, timestamp, IP and channel, retained for the life of the marketing relationship. Law 18-07 on personal data also rests on the data subject's consent for most processing. Keep records and ask a lawyer about edge cases such as existing customers.
Should I write SMS in Arabic or French in Algeria?
Use the language your customer chose or uses with you. Many Algerians read both. Arabic sends as Unicode at 70 characters per message, while French without circumflex or similar characters stays at 160. Offering a language choice at sign-up avoids guessing and keeps costs predictable.
How do I send OTP SMS in Algeria?
Send OTPs on a transactional sender ID and route, with no promotional text, a short numeric code and a clear brand name. Keep the message short, preferably in the language the user already uses with you, and set an expiry. Monitor delivery per operator, because a blended rate can hide one weak network.
Sources
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