Bulk SMS in Belgium: BIPT, Opt-In and Sender ID Guide
Bulk SMS Belgium guide: BIPT, opt-in under Article XII.13 of the Code of Economic Law, GDPR, Proximus, Orange and Telenet routes, sender ID, French and Dutch.
By OmniChannels.ai Editorial Team · Reviewed by BroadNet Messaging Solutions Team
SMS & OTP
Short answer
To send bulk SMS in Belgium, use a provider with routes to Proximus, Orange Belgium and Telenet/BASE, collect documented prior opt-in before any promotional SMS (Article XII.13 of the Code of Economic Law and the GDPR), and give every recipient a free way to stop. Alphanumeric sender IDs of up to 11 characters are listed in our data, but test how each network displays them. Write in French and Dutch.
On this page
- What rules apply to bulk SMS in Belgium?
- Do you need opt-in to send promotional SMS in Belgium?
- How does opt-out work?
- How do sender IDs work in Belgium?
- Which operators carry SMS in Belgium?
- How should you separate OTP and promotional traffic?
- How do French and Dutch text affect SMS length?
- When should you send?
- A worked example: a Brussels bakery chain
- What are the common mistakes?
- How OmniChannels.ai helps
Key takeaways
- Belgian marketing by electronic mail, which the Data Protection Authority reads as including SMS, needs the recipient's prior, free, specific and informed consent under Article XII.13 of the Code of Economic Law; the GDPR sets the standard for what counts as valid consent.
- The telecom regulator is BIPT. Our regulation data records that sender ID requirements are set by the operators, that alphanumeric IDs run up to 11 characters, and that the lead time is free-form and confirmed at onboarding.
- Three mobile networks appear in our coverage data, all with direct routes: Proximus (206-01), Orange Belgium (206-10) and Telenet/BASE (206-20).
- Our regulation data names double opt-in as the operator-preferred standard for marketing, and records STOP as honoured network-wide.
- Plain French and Dutch fit GSM-7 at 160 characters, but ç, ê, ë and ï are outside the default alphabet: one ç in a message moves it to Unicode at 70 characters per part.
This guide is for marketing, e-commerce, fintech and operations teams that want to send business SMS to Belgian mobile numbers: OTPs, delivery alerts, appointment reminders and promotions. It explains who regulates what, how consent works, what to expect from sender IDs and how French and Dutch text affects message length. It is a practical overview, not legal advice; confirm your set-up with Belgian counsel before launch.
What rules apply to bulk SMS in Belgium?
Three layers apply: the Code of Economic Law and the GDPR for consent, BIPT and the operators for telecom rules and routes, and the e-Privacy Directive behind both. None is called a "bulk SMS law", so you assemble the picture from each.
| Layer | What it covers | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Code of Economic Law, Article XII.13 | Prior consent for direct marketing by electronic mail, which the Data Protection Authority reads as including SMS | Avis 120/2023 |
| GDPR | Lawful basis, quality of consent, right to object | EUR-Lex |
| e-Privacy Directive 2002/58/EC, Article 13 | EU-level opt-in rule that Belgian law implements | EUR-Lex |
| BIPT and the operators | Telecom regulation, routes, sender name handling | bipt.be |
Our regulation data lists BIPT, the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications, as the regulator, and it records that sender ID requirements are set by the operators.
Do you need opt-in to send promotional SMS in Belgium?
Yes, plan on prior opt-in for every promotional SMS. Belgian law transposes Article 13 of the e-Privacy Directive: advertising by electronic mail without the recipient's prior, free, specific and informed consent is prohibited, and in its opinion 120/2023 the Data Protection Authority states that Article XII.13 applies to electronic mail including SMS. The sender has to be able to demonstrate that consent exists.
An exception for a provider's own similar products or services, sold to existing customers who were offered a free opt-out when their details were collected and in every message, is discussed in Belgian guidance. Do not build a programme on it. Its application to SMS and the conditions are for your lawyer to confirm, and explicit SMS consent is simpler to defend.
Our regulation data adds that the GDPR-compliant opt-in is required and that double opt-in is the operator-preferred standard for marketing. A safe routine:
- Show clear wording at sign-up: who is sending, what kind of messages and how often, for example "Offers from Boulangerie Maes by SMS".
- Confirm the number with a code or a reply before it joins the list.
- Store the evidence: the wording shown, date and time, channel and number.
- Never bundle SMS consent into general terms and conditions.
- Do not buy lists. Purchased numbers have no consent trail.
Our opt-in consent generator drafts the wording, and opt-in consent across channels shows how to record it. See the definitions of opt-in and opt-out.
How does opt-out work?
Every promotional message should carry a free, simple way to stop, and a request must be processed immediately. Our regulation data records that the STOP keyword is honoured network-wide and that opt-out is one step and holds until the recipient consents again. Under the GDPR, a person can also object to direct marketing at any time (Article 21), after which you must stop.
In practice, add a short line in the recipient's language to each promotion, such as "Stop : maes.example/stop" in French or "Uitschrijven: maes.example/stop" in Dutch. Feed replies and link clicks into one suppression list that also covers WhatsApp and email. Keep OTPs on a separate sender so a marketing opt-out never silences a login code.
How do sender IDs work in Belgium?
Business SMS to Belgium can use an alphanumeric sender ID of up to 11 characters, and our data notes that a numeric long number is also supported. Requirements are set by the operators, and the lead time in our data reads "free-form", so treat any timing as something agreed during onboarding.
| Choice | Strength | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Alphanumeric (up to 11 characters) | Shows your brand name | Recipients cannot reply; display depends on the network |
| Numeric long number | Supports replies | Less brand recognition |
Published guidance on how Belgian networks display and register alphanumeric senders is not consistent, and we have not found a primary source from BIPT that settles it. That is why you should send a test of every sender ID to Proximus, Orange Belgium and Telenet/BASE handsets and read what the recipient sees. Avoid generic names and any name that imitates a bank, operator or public body.
Draft the authorisation letter with our sender ID letter generator, check the position with the sender ID checker or the Belgium sender ID page, and read sender ID types explained. If you want us to prepare and file anything the operators require, see registrations; approval decisions stay with the operators.
Which operators carry SMS in Belgium?
Three mobile networks appear in our coverage data, each with a direct route:
| Operator | MCC-MNC |
|---|---|
| Proximus | 206-01 |
| Orange Belgium | 206-10 |
| Telenet/BASE | 206-20 |
Our regulation data names Proximus and Orange Belgium as the operators behind the sender ID rules and our coverage data adds Telenet/BASE as the third route. Read delivery reports per operator, not a blended rate, because one weak network can hide behind a healthy average. Improving SMS delivery rates explains how to diagnose gaps.
How should you separate OTP and promotional traffic?
Keep one-time passcodes, order updates and appointment reminders on their own sender and route, with no promotion inside. A mixed message is advertising, which brings the opt-in rules above, and it risks your login codes if marketing traffic is filtered.
| Traffic | Example | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional | OTP, parcel update, appointment reminder | No offers inside; own sender; any hour |
| Promotional | Sale, new product, loyalty offer | Documented opt-in; opt-out line; daytime schedule |
| Mixed | "Votre colis arrive. Profitez de -10 % !" | Avoid; the offer makes it advertising |
For code length and expiry see the OTP authentication messages guide and our OTP service.
How do French and Dutch text affect SMS length?
Plain French and Dutch fit the GSM 7-bit alphabet, so one message holds 160 characters (153 per part when split). The default alphabet includes é, è, ù, à and ü, but it does not include the lowercase ç, nor ê, ë, ï or â, and emoji and curly apostrophes are also outside it. One such character moves the whole message to Unicode with 70 characters (67 per part). See GSM-7 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 (the synthetic bakery is "Maes"):
| Message | Encoding | Characters | Parts |
|---|---|---|---|
Uw code is 482913. Geldig voor 10 minuten. Deel de code met niemand. Bakkerij Maes |
GSM-7 | 82 | 1 |
Boulangerie Maes : 2 croissants pour le prix d'1 ce samedi ! Détails : maes.example/s. Stop : maes.example/stop |
GSM-7 | 111 | 1 |
Bakkerij Maes: 2 croissants voor de prijs van 1 dit weekend! Meer: maes.example/s. Uitschrijven: maes.example/stop |
GSM-7 | 114 | 1 |
Boulangerie Maes : vos croissants français sont de retour ce samedi ! Détails : maes.example/s. Stop : maes.example/stop |
Unicode | 120 | 2 |
The last row shows the cost of a single ç in "français": the same kind of message goes from one part to two. Check final copy in the SMS character counter and read SMS character limits and Unicode for other scripts.
When should you send?
We have not found a regulator-published time-of-day window for promotional SMS in Belgium, and our regulation data records none. Agree sending hours with your provider, send promotions in local daytime (Central European Time, UTC+1, or UTC+2 in summer) and avoid late evenings. OTPs and alerts can go at any hour. The send time planner helps schedule campaigns, and SMS marketing rules by country compares hours across markets.
A worked example: a Brussels bakery chain
"Boulangerie Maes" (synthetic) has 25 shops and wants pickup alerts, an OTP for its loyalty app and a weekly offer, in French and Dutch.
- It collects consent at the till and in the app with a confirmation step, storing wording, timestamp and number, and records the language the customer chose.
- OTPs and pickup alerts use a separate sender and plain GSM-7 text with no offers inside.
- The weekly offer goes only to confirmed numbers, in the customer's language, with a free stop line and a daytime schedule.
- Each translation is counted separately, and copy with ç or emoji is rewritten so it stays at one part.
- Replies and link clicks feed one suppression list shared with WhatsApp and email.
What are the common mistakes?
- Treating a typed-in number as consent. Without a confirmation step you cannot show the person agreed.
- Relying on the existing-customer exception for SMS without legal advice.
- One translation, counted once. The French version fits one part; the Dutch version may not.
- Offers inside OTPs or service messages, which turns them into advertising.
- Untested sender names. Check what the recipient sees on each network.
- No shared suppression list across SMS, WhatsApp and email.
How OmniChannels.ai helps
OmniChannels.ai is powered by BroadNet, which has direct routes to Proximus, Orange Belgium and Telenet/BASE in our coverage data. We support consent-aware campaigns with duplicate and suppression handling, French, Dutch and Unicode content, per-operator delivery reports and SMPP 3.4 for high volume, and we prepare and file any sender registration with you. For indicative list prices see the Belgium SMS pricing page, then book a demo. Neighbouring markets: the France guide and the Germany guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is bulk SMS legal in Belgium?
Yes, for OTPs, service messages and consented marketing. The Belgian Data Protection Authority has stated that Article XII.13 of the Code of Economic Law covers advertising by electronic mail including SMS, and the GDPR applies to the phone numbers. No single statute is called an SMS law, so the rules come from several texts and your counsel should review your flow.
Do I need opt-in to send promotional SMS in Belgium?
Plan on it. Article XII.13 requires prior, free, specific and informed consent for direct marketing by electronic mail, and the sender has to be able to prove it. Our regulation data adds that double opt-in is the operator-preferred standard. A narrow existing-customer exception exists in Belgian rules, so ask a Belgian lawyer before relying on it for SMS.
Do I need to register a sender ID in Belgium?
Our regulation data says requirements are set by the operators and that BroadNet confirms the current ones during onboarding; the lead time is listed as free-form. Because published guidance on Belgian sender ID handling is not consistent, test your sender name on Proximus, Orange Belgium and Telenet/BASE handsets before a launch.
Can I send in French and Dutch?
Yes, and many Belgian audiences expect the language of their region. Both fit GSM-7 for most everyday text. Letters such as ç, ê, ë and ï are not in the default alphabet, so check each translation separately, since a French message can be one part while its Dutch twin is two.
Is there a legal time window for promotional SMS in Belgium?
We have not found a regulator-published time-of-day window for promotional SMS in Belgium, and our regulation data records none. Agree sending hours with your provider, schedule promotions for local daytime, and keep OTPs and alerts on a transactional route that can run at any hour.
What happens if a recipient replies STOP?
Our regulation data records that STOP is honoured network-wide and that opt-out is one step and holds until the person gives consent again. Add the suppression to a list that covers every campaign and channel, so the same person is not messaged on WhatsApp or email after objecting.
Sources
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