---
title: "Bulk SMS in Angola: INACOM, Law 22/11 and Sender ID Guide"
description: "Bulk SMS Angola guide: INACOM, sender ID set-up with Unitel, Movicel and Africell, Law 22/11 data protection and consent, and Portuguese accents in GSM-7."
canonical: "https://omnichannels.ai/blog/bulk-sms-angola-guide/"
language: "en"
updated: "2026-11-06"
publisher: "BroadNet Technologies"
brand: "OmniChannels.ai"
category: "sms"
primaryQuery: "bulk sms angola"
keywords: ["bulk sms angola", "sms em massa angola", "inacom sms", "sender id angola", "lei 22/11 protecção de dados", "unitel movicel africell sms", "sms marketing angola"]
published: "2026-11-06"
author: "OmniChannels.ai Editorial Team"
reviewer: "BroadNet Messaging Solutions Team"
readingMinutes: 9
answer: "To send bulk SMS in Angola, use a provider with routes to Unitel, Movicel and Africell, confirm your sender set-up with the operators, and message only people who gave express consent under Law 22/11 on personal data protection. Keep consent records, add an opt-out to promotions, and write Portuguese without cedillas and tildes where you want to stay at 160 characters, because those letters switch a message to Unicode at 70."
takeaways: ["INACOM is the telecom regulator in our regulation data; sender requirements are set by the operators, with a typical lead time of 10 to 14 business days, and alphanumeric IDs run up to 11 characters, with numeric long codes on select networks.", "Law 22/11 on personal data protection, passed on 17 June 2011, requires express consent for processing and created a Data Protection Agency (APD); our regulation data adds that timestamped consent records are kept for at least 12 months.", "Three networks appear in our coverage data, all with direct routes: Unitel (631-02), Movicel (631-04) and Africell (631-05). Our regulation data names only Unitel and Movicel for sender set-up, so confirm Africell requirements at onboarding.", "Portuguese letters such as a with a tilde, c with a cedilla and a, i, o and u with an acute accent are outside the GSM 7-bit alphabet, so one of them switches a message to Unicode at 70 characters (67 per part).", "We found no regulator-published time-of-day window for promotional SMS in Angola; schedule promotions for local daytime and keep OTPs and alerts on a transactional route."]
faq: 
  - q: "Is bulk SMS legal in Angola?"
    a: "Yes. Businesses send OTPs, alerts and marketing SMS, provided they use a legitimate route, hold consent for marketing and honour opt-outs. No single statute is called a bulk SMS law, so the rules come from INACOM, the operators and the personal data law. Confirm the details with Angolan counsel before a large campaign."
  - q: "Do I need consent to send promotional SMS in Angola?"
    a: "Plan on documented consent. Law 22/11 permits processing personal data with the express consent of the data subject, and our regulation data calls for verifiable opt-in, with timestamped consent records kept for at least 12 months and produced on regulator request. Store the wording, timestamp, channel and number."
  - q: "Can I use an alphanumeric sender ID in Angola?"
    a: "Our regulation data says alphanumeric IDs of up to 11 characters are supported, with numeric long codes on select networks, and that the operators set the requirements. Support can differ by operator, so test the sender on Unitel, Movicel and Africell handsets before launch. We can prepare and file the registration with you."
  - q: "Why does my Portuguese SMS split into two parts?"
    a: "Letters such as a with a tilde, c with a cedilla and a, i, o and u with an acute accent are not in the default GSM 7-bit alphabet, so one of them switches the whole message to Unicode, which holds 70 characters (67 per part). The letters e with an acute accent and a with a grave accent are inside it. Test final copy in a character counter."
  - q: "How long does sender registration take in Angola?"
    a: "Our published lead time for Angola is 10 to 14 business days. That is a typical range, not a promise. Operators review the application, and missing company documents can add time. Build it into your launch plan and use our team to prepare and file the registration."
  - q: "Who regulates data protection in Angola?"
    a: "Law 22/11 created a Data Protection Agency (Agência de Protecção de Dados, APD) to supervise personal data processing, and controllers must notify it of processing. Telecom matters, including SMS routes, sit with INACOM. Check both agencies' current guidance, since Angola has been reviewing its data protection framework."
sources: 
  - title: "INACOM, Instituto Angolano das Comunicações"
    url: "https://inacom.gov.ao/"
  - title: "Angola Passes Personal Data Protection Law, Hunton Andrews Kurth"
    url: "https://www.hunton.com/privacy-and-cybersecurity-law-blog/angola-passes-personal-data-protection-law"
  - title: "Dados Pessoais e Cibersegurança em Angola, PLMJ"
    url: "https://plmj.com/xms/files/03_Novidades_legislativas/2024/N_Colab_RVA-PLMJ_Dados_Pessoais_e_Ciber-seguranca_em_Angola.pdf"
  - title: "Africell confirmed as Angola's fourth operator, Developing Telecoms"
    url: "https://www.developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/operator-news/10683-africell-confirmed-as-angola-s-fourth-operator.html"
  - title: "3GPP TS 23.038: Alphabets and language-specific information"
    url: "https://www.3gpp.org/dynareport/23038.htm"
---

# Bulk SMS in Angola: INACOM, Law 22/11 and Sender ID Guide

Canonical: https://omnichannels.ai/blog/bulk-sms-angola-guide/
Language: en
Publisher: OmniChannels.ai by BroadNet Technologies

This guide is for banks, retailers, utilities and service teams that want to send business SMS to mobile numbers in Angola: OTPs, delivery alerts, reminders and promotions. It explains which rules apply, what Law 22/11 means for marketing, how sender set-up works and how Portuguese accents change message length. It is a practical overview, not legal advice; confirm requirements with Angolan counsel and the operators before you launch.

## What rules apply to bulk SMS in Angola?

Three layers apply: telecom regulation and operator policy, personal data law, and your own consent records. None is a single "bulk SMS law", so you assemble the picture from each.

| Layer | What it covers | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| INACOM and the operators (Unitel, Movicel, Africell) | Telecom regulation, sender set-up, routes, filtering | [inacom.gov.ao](https://inacom.gov.ao/) |
| Law 22/11 and the APD | Consent, notification of processing, data subject rights | [Hunton summary](https://www.hunton.com/privacy-and-cybersecurity-law-blog/angola-passes-personal-data-protection-law), [PLMJ note](https://plmj.com/xms/files/03_Novidades_legislativas/2024/N_Colab_RVA-PLMJ_Dados_Pessoais_e_Ciber-seguranca_em_Angola.pdf) |
| Your own records | Proof of when and how each number agreed | Your CRM or consent log |

Our regulation data names INACOM (Instituto Angolano das Comunicações) as the regulator and records that sender requirements are set by the operators, so the rule that matters on launch day is the one your operator route enforces.

## What does Law 22/11 require before you send?

You need a lawful basis for each number, and for marketing that basis is express consent. Law 22/11, the Personal Data Protection Law, was passed by the National Assembly on 17 June 2011. Commentators summarise it as permitting processing with the data subject's express consent and requiring controllers to notify the Data Protection Agency (APD) of their processing. It also lets people restrict use of their data for some forms of electronic advertising.

The APD has been described as operating since the late 2010s, and a revision of the framework has been reported as under consultation, so check the current text and guidance before you rely on a summary. We have not verified article numbers, so we do not quote them.

A safe routine follows:

1. **Capture consent with a record:** the exact wording shown, the date and time, the channel and the number.
2. **Name the sender and the purpose** at sign-up, for example "Ofertas do Café Luanda por SMS".
3. **Honour opt-outs immediately** and keep one suppression list across campaigns and channels.
4. **Keep records for at least 12 months,** the period in our regulation data, and longer while the marketing relationship lasts.
5. **Do not buy lists.** Purchased numbers have no consent trail.

Our [opt-in consent generator](/tools/opt-in-consent-generator/) drafts wording, and the guide to [opt-in consent across channels](/blog/opt-in-consent-multichannel-campaigns/) shows how to record it. See also [opt-in](/glossary/opt-in/) and [opt-out](/glossary/opt-out/).

## How do sender IDs work in Angola?

Angola supports alphanumeric sender IDs of up to 11 characters, with numeric long codes on select networks. The operators set the requirements and the process is confirmed at onboarding. Our published lead time is 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, and plan one sender for each |
| 2. Choose names | Use your registered business or brand name; avoid names that imitate banks, operators or public bodies |
| 3. Prepare documents | Company registration papers and an authorisation letter naming the senders and your provider |
| 4. Submit | Your provider files with the operators; track each approval |
| 5. Test | Send an OTP and a promotion to Unitel, Movicel and Africell handsets and check what each shows |

Our [sender ID letter generator](/tools/sender-id-letter-generator/) drafts the letter, and you can check the position with the [sender ID checker](/tools/sender-id-checker/) or the [Angola sender ID page](/sender-id/angola/). If you want us to prepare and file the registration with you, see [registrations](/services/registrations/); approval decisions stay with the operators and regulators. For formats, read [SMS sender ID types explained](/blog/sms-sender-id-types-explained/), and see [alphanumeric sender ID](/glossary/alphanumeric-sender-id/) and [long code](/glossary/long-code/).

## Which operators carry SMS in Angola?

Three mobile networks appear in our coverage data, each with a direct route.

| Operator | MCC-MNC |
|---|---|
| Unitel | 631-02 |
| Movicel | 631-04 |
| Africell | 631-05 |

Unitel and Movicel are the long-standing networks. Africell was confirmed as Angola's fourth operator and is described in trade press as having entered the market in 2022, so older sender guides may list only two networks. Market shares differ between sources, so we do not quote them.

Read delivery reports per operator, not as one blended figure. A healthy total can hide a weak network, and our guide to [improving SMS delivery rates](/blog/sms-not-delivered-improve-delivery-rate/) shows how to diagnose it.

## How should you separate OTP and promotional traffic?

Keep OTPs, order alerts and service messages on their own sender and route, and promotions on another. A promotion inside an OTP puts login codes at risk if the promotional route is filtered or a customer complains.

| Traffic | Example | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional | OTP, payment confirmation, delivery alert | No offer inside; own sender; any hour |
| Promotional | Sale, new product, loyalty offer | Consented numbers only; opt-out in the message; daytime schedule |
| Mixed | "A sua encomenda saiu. Tem 10% de desconto na próxima" | Avoid; the offer makes it promotional |

For OTP design and security, read our [OTP authentication messages guide](/blog/otp-authentication-messages-guide/).

## How do Portuguese accents affect SMS length?

Plain Portuguese fits the 160-character GSM 7-bit alphabet only if every character is in it. The alphabet includes e with an acute accent and a with a grave accent, but not the tilde vowels (ã, õ), the cedilla (ç) or the acute-accented a, i, o and u, so a single "não" or "código" turns the whole message into Unicode with 70 characters (67 per part). See [GSM-7](/glossary/gsm-7/), [Unicode SMS](/glossary/unicode-sms/) and [concatenated SMS](/glossary/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:

| Message | Encoding | Characters | Parts |
|---|---|---|---|
| `Cafe Luanda: o seu codigo e 482913. Nao partilhe com ninguem.` | GSM-7 | 61 | 1 |
| `Café Luanda: o seu código é 482913. Não partilhe com ninguém.` | Unicode | 61 | 1 |
| `Cafe Luanda: a sua encomenda 3310 chega amanha entre as 10h e as 12h.` | GSM-7 | 69 | 1 |
| `Cafe Luanda: 2 por 1 em cafe em grao ate domingo. Detalhes: cafeluanda.example/o Responda STOP para nao receber mais.` | GSM-7 | 117 | 1 |
| `Café Luanda: 2 por 1 em café em grão até domingo. Detalhes: cafeluanda.example/o Responda STOP para não receber mais.` | Unicode | 117 | 2 |

Rows 1 and 2 are the same OTP: stripping accents keeps the message in GSM-7, while correct spelling switches it to Unicode. Both fit one part, so for short OTPs correct spelling is affordable. The longer promotion in rows 4 and 5 shows where it costs a second part. Check final copy in the [SMS character counter](/tools/sms-character-counter/); see [SMS character limits and Unicode](/blog/sms-character-limits-unicode-arabic/).

## How do opt-outs work?

Offer a one-step opt-out in every promotional SMS and apply it to all channels. Our regulation data says every promotional message must include STOP or equivalent opt-out wording, and that suppression against a do-not-disturb registry is applied automatically where the regulator runs one. Write the instruction in Portuguese, for example "Responda STOP para nao receber mais", and test the keyword before launch. Do not send a promotion to anyone who has asked to stop.

## When should you send?

We have not found a regulator-published time-of-day window for promotional SMS in Angola, and our regulation data records none. Agree sending hours with your provider, send promotions in local daytime (Angola is UTC+1 all year) and avoid late evenings. OTPs and alerts can go at any hour. The [send time planner](/tools/send-time-planner/) helps schedule campaigns, and [SMS marketing rules by country](/blog/sms-marketing-rules-by-country/) compares hours across markets.

## A worked example: a Luanda coffee chain

"Café Luanda" (synthetic) has 10 shops and a delivery app, and wants OTPs, delivery alerts and a weekly offer.

- It sets up two senders, one for transactional and one for promotional traffic, and tests both on Unitel, Movicel and Africell.
- It collects consent in the app and at the till, storing the wording, timestamp and number, and shows "Ofertas por SMS" with a clear opt-out.
- OTPs and alerts use short copy without tildes and cedillas so they stay in GSM-7.
- The weekly offer is checked against its suppression list, scheduled for local daytime and sent with correct spelling, accepting two parts.
- Opt-outs from replies feed one list that also covers WhatsApp and email.

## What are the common mistakes?

- **No consent evidence.** Without a timestamp and source you cannot answer a regulator request.
- **Assuming two operators.** Africell is on the list; test it.
- **Look-alike sender names** that imitate banks, operators or public bodies.
- **Ignoring encoding.** One tilde vowel turns a 160-character message into a 70-character one.
- **Mixing OTP and promotion on one sender.**
- **Relying on a summary of Law 22/11.** Check the current text and APD guidance.
- **Treating lead times as promises.** Plan buffer beyond 10 to 14 business days.

## How OmniChannels.ai helps

OmniChannels.ai is powered by BroadNet, which has direct routes to Unitel, Movicel and Africell in our coverage data. We prepare and file sender registration with you, support Portuguese content, scheduled sends and WhatsApp with SMS fallback, and give you per-operator delivery reports, with SMPP 3.4 for high volume. For indicative list prices, see the [Angola SMS pricing page](/sms-pricing/angola/), then [book a demo](/demo/). Small team? Our [SMS marketing guide for small businesses](/blog/sms-marketing-small-business-guide/) covers the basics.