SMS and WhatsApp business messaging in Tunisia
Reach customers in Tunisia on SMS, WhatsApp and voice OTP from one platform, with direct routes to Tunisie Telecom, Ooredoo Tunisia and Orange Tunisia. Write in French, Arabic or both, and let us prepare your sender ID filing. BroadNet is licensed in every country where it operates.
A WhatsApp parcel update in French and Arabic from a sample Tunis fashion retailer. Brand name and messages are sample data.
Short answer
Updated
Business SMS in Tunisia falls under the telecom regulator INT, with sender ID requirements set by the operators Tunisie Telecom, Ooredoo and Orange, typically 5 to 7 business days. Marketing needs verifiable consent and a STOP opt-out. OmniChannels.ai, powered by BroadNet, files your sender IDs with you and sends SMS over direct routes to all three networks, plus WhatsApp, voice OTP and a shared inbox in French and Arabic.
What you can send in Tunisia with OmniChannels.ai
Direct routes to three networks
SMS goes over direct connections to Tunisie Telecom, Ooredoo Tunisia and Orange Tunisia, with delivery reports per operator.
Sender ID filing
We prepare the alphanumeric sender ID registration with you, in Latin or Arabic characters up to 11 long, and file it with the operators.
French and Arabic
Arabic is sent as Unicode with 70 characters per segment. French fits 160 characters only if every letter is in the GSM alphabet. The preview shows the count.
WhatsApp Business API
BroadNet is an official Meta Business Solution Provider. Onboard through Meta Embedded Signup, send approved marketing, utility and authentication templates, and answer replies in the shared inbox.
Voice OTP
Send one-time passwords by voice call with text-to-speech where an SMS or WhatsApp code is not enough. Voice is provisioned with the account team; contact sales for voice pricing.
One inbox for every channel
WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, SMS replies and email land in one thread per customer, with agent assignment, tags and templates.
Channel fallback
Send on WhatsApp first and fall back to SMS when a message is not delivered. The order is set per use case and statuses return in one webhook format.
REST API and SMPP 3.4
Connect your app or core system through the REST API, or an SMPP 3.4 client over TLS for high volume. Delivery statuses reach your webhook.
What to know before sending in Tunisia
A practical summary, not legal advice. INT and operator requirements change, so we confirm the current position for your traffic during onboarding.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Regulator and operators | INT (Instance Nationale des Télécommunications) is the telecom regulator. Three mobile networks carry SMS (dialling code +216): Tunisie Telecom, Ooredoo Tunisia and Orange Tunisia. |
| Sender ID | Alphanumeric, Latin or Arabic, up to 11 characters. Requirements are set by the operators and confirmed at onboarding. A typical lead time is 5 to 7 business days. |
| Consent | Marketing needs verifiable opt-in, with source, timestamp, IP and channel logged and kept for the life of the marketing relationship. Personal data is governed by Organic Law 2004-63, supervised by the INPDP. |
| Opt-out | Every marketing message carries an opt-out keyword, STOP or ايقاف, honoured across your lists. Unsolicited advertising SMS is a visible issue in Tunisia, so build on provable consent. |
| Sending hours | We have not found a regulator-published time window for promotional SMS. We agree sending hours with you and the operators and schedule promotions in local daytime. OTPs and alerts can go at any hour. |
| Languages | French and Arabic are both common. Arabic and accented French such as ê or ô use Unicode, so check the segment count. |
| Business-initiated messages need an approved template and customer opt-in. Meta charges per delivered message by category and recipient market, so check the current rate card. |
How to launch business messaging in Tunisia
Sender ID filing and WhatsApp approvals take the longest, so we start them in the first week.
- 1
Map your traffic
Split OTPs and parcel alerts from promotions, and choose French, Arabic or both for each audience.
- 2
Register sender IDs
Share company documents and an authorization letter. We prepare the filing with you and submit it to the operators.
- 3
Record consent
Store the wording shown, timestamp and channel with every number, and add an opt-out to promotions.
- 4
Connect WhatsApp
Onboard through Meta Embedded Signup and submit French and Arabic templates.
- 5
Test on every network
Send to Tunisie Telecom, Ooredoo and Orange numbers, check delivery reports, set fallback and launch.
Is this the right setup for your Tunisia traffic?
A good fit when
- You send OTPs, parcel alerts or reminders to Tunisian numbers and want per-operator reports.
- You write in French, Arabic or both.
- You want SMS, WhatsApp and voice OTP on one platform with fallback.
- You serve Tunisia alongside Morocco, Algeria or the Gulf.
Good to know before you start
- Sender ID approval belongs to the operators, so lead times are typical, not guaranteed.
- Arabic and accented French use Unicode, so longer messages cost more segments.
- Marketing needs verifiable consent and a working opt-out.
- Rules change, and we confirm current requirements at onboarding.
SMS list rates in Tunisia
Indicative price per SMS segment by monthly volume tier, averaged across operators, from BroadNet's published rate card. The more you send, the lower the rate.
Indicative list prices in USD before taxes and sender ID fees, reviewed September 24, 2026. Your quote confirms the final rate.
| Operator | Up to 100,000 |
|---|---|
| Tunisie Telecom | $0.0505 |
| Ooredoo Tunisia | $0.0482 |
| Orange Tunisia | $0.0460 |
Tunisia business messaging questions
Who regulates business SMS in Tunisia?
The INT (Instance Nationale des Télécommunications) is the telecom regulator. Sender ID requirements are set by the operators Tunisie Telecom, Ooredoo and Orange, and personal data falls under Organic Law 2004-63, supervised by the INPDP.
How long does sender ID registration take in Tunisia?
Typically 5 to 7 business days once your documents are complete. This is a typical lead time, not a guarantee, because operators decide. We start the filing during discovery and confirm the timeline at onboarding.
Which networks can I reach in Tunisia?
Tunisie Telecom, Ooredoo Tunisia and Orange Tunisia, each over a direct route. Read delivery reports per operator so a weak network does not hide inside a blended figure.
Can I send SMS in Arabic and French?
Yes. Arabic is sent as Unicode and holds 70 characters per message, or 67 per part when split. French fits 160 characters if every letter is in the GSM alphabet, but ê, â, î, ô and û switch the whole message to Unicode.
Do I need consent for marketing SMS in Tunisia?
Yes. Plan on verifiable opt-in with a logged source, timestamp, IP and channel, plus an opt-out on every promotional message. There is no single bulk SMS statute, so confirm specifics with Tunisian counsel.
When can I send promotional SMS in Tunisia?
We have not found a regulator-published time window for promotional SMS. We agree sending hours with you and the operators and schedule promotions in local daytime. Transactional messages such as OTPs can go at any hour.
How much does SMS or WhatsApp to Tunisia cost?
Prices are on our Tunisia SMS pricing page and, where Meta lists the market, our WhatsApp pricing page. They are indicative list prices that exclude taxes, and your final quote confirms the cost. WhatsApp is billed at Meta's rate with zero markup. For RCS or voice pricing, contact sales.
Should I use WhatsApp or SMS in Tunisia?
Use both. SMS reaches any handset without an app and suits OTPs, while WhatsApp supports media, buttons and replies for opted-in customers. A common pattern is WhatsApp first with SMS as fallback, configured per use case.
Guides on this topic
- SMS & OTPBulk SMS in Tunisia: INT, Sender ID, Arabic and French Guide10 min read
- SMS & OTPSMS Character Limits: GSM-7, Unicode, Arabic and Emoji Explained8 min read
- ComplianceOpt-in and Consent for WhatsApp, SMS and Email Campaigns8 min read
Explore more of the platform
Plan your Tunisia messaging with us
Tell us your use cases, languages and sender IDs. We will walk you through operator filing, WhatsApp onboarding and fallback.