--- title: "SMS and WhatsApp business messaging in Mexico" description: "Send SMS and WhatsApp messages in Mexico over direct routes to Telcel, AT&T and Movistar, in Spanish, with sender setup and consent guidance for the CRT." canonical: "https://omnichannels.ai/markets/mexico/" language: "en" updated: "2026-11-06" publisher: "BroadNet Technologies" brand: "OmniChannels.ai" --- # SMS and WhatsApp business messaging in Mexico Canonical: https://omnichannels.ai/markets/mexico/ Language: en Publisher: OmniChannels.ai by BroadNet Technologies Reach customers in Mexico on WhatsApp, SMS, RCS and voice from one platform. SMS runs over direct routes to Telcel, AT&T Mexico and Movistar, with messages in Spanish. BroadNet is licensed in every country where it operates. **Short answer:** Mexico's telecom regulator is now the CRT, which replaced the IFT in 2025. Sender requirements are set by the operators: an alphanumeric sender where the network supports it, or a numeric long code or short code. Marketing needs verifiable opt-in and a one-step STOP or SAIR opt-out. OmniChannels.ai, powered by BroadNet, sends over direct routes to Telcel, AT&T and Movistar and adds WhatsApp, RCS, voice and fallback. ## What you can send in Mexico with OmniChannels.ai - **Direct routes to Telcel, AT&T and Movistar:** All three Mexican networks are reached over direct routes, with delivery reports per operator. - **Spanish copy and encoding:** Accented letters such as á, í, ó and ú move a message to Unicode, which holds 70 characters. The preview shows encoding and segments before you send. - **Sender setup and consent:** We confirm the sender type each network accepts for your use case and help you keep verifiable consent records. - **WhatsApp Business API:** BroadNet is an official Meta Business Solution Provider. Send approved templates, media and buttons, and run support conversations in the shared inbox. - **One inbox for every channel:** WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, SMS replies and email land in one thread per customer, with assignment and tags. - **Channel fallback:** Send on WhatsApp first and fall back to SMS when a message is not delivered, with one webhook format for statuses. - **REST API and SMPP:** Connect your systems through the REST API, or use SMPP 3.4 for high-volume sending. Test access goes to your own verified numbers. ## What to know before sending in Mexico | Item | Details | |---|---| | Regulator | The Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT) replaced the IFT after the telecom law published on 16 July 2025. Older guides that say IFT predate that change. | | Sender ID | Set by the operators: alphanumeric where the network supports it, or a numeric long code or short code. Plan 5 to 10 business days, and longer for short codes. | | Promotional messages | Send marketing only with verifiable opt-in. Consumers can also register with Profeco's REPEP to refuse advertising, so check lists before each send. | | Consent and opt-out | Keep consent records in line with Mexico's data-protection law. A STOP or SAIR keyword is honoured network-wide and applied across the operator. | | Sending hours | We have not found a regulator-published time-of-day window for promotions. Agree hours with the operator and schedule for the recipient's local daytime. | | WhatsApp | Use approved templates for business-initiated messages. Meta charges per delivered message by category and market. | ## How to launch business messaging in Mexico 1. **Pick channels and senders:** Decide which use cases run on WhatsApp and which on SMS, and which sender type each needs. 2. **Confirm sender setup:** Share your company details and sample messages. We confirm the requirements for Telcel, AT&T and Movistar and prepare any filing with you. 3. **Connect WhatsApp:** Onboard through Meta Embedded Signup and submit templates in Spanish. 4. **Set up consent and opt-out:** Capture consent with timestamps and apply STOP and SAIR replies to one suppression list. 5. **Test and launch:** Send test messages on all three networks, compare delivery reports per operator and launch. ## Is this the right setup for your Mexico traffic? ### A good fit when - You send OTPs, alerts or promotions to Telcel, AT&T and Movistar users. - You write in Spanish and want segment counts to stay predictable. - Your customers expect to reach you on WhatsApp. - You want delivery reports broken down by operator. ### Good to know before you start - Sender requirements are set by the operators, and alphanumeric senders are not accepted everywhere. - Short codes need operator approval and a longer setup. - Marketing needs consent, and people in the REPEP must be excluded. - Rules change, and we confirm current requirements at onboarding. ## Mexico business messaging questions ### Who regulates SMS in Mexico? The Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT) is the telecom regulator. It took over from the IFT after the Ley en Materia de Telecomunicaciones y Radiodifusión was published on 16 July 2025. Profeco handles consumer protection. ### Do I need to register a sender ID in Mexico? Requirements depend on the operator and the sender type. Alphanumeric senders work where the network supports them, with numeric long codes and short codes as the alternative. We confirm the current requirements during onboarding. ### Can I send marketing SMS in Mexico without consent? Treat verifiable opt-in as mandatory. Mexican data-protection law requires a privacy notice and consent, and consumers can refuse advertising through Profeco's REPEP. Include an opt-out and suppress anyone who opts out. ### How long does it take to start sending SMS to Mexico? Our published lead time for Mexico sender setup is 5 to 10 business days, which is a typical range and not a guarantee. Operator review and the sender type you choose can extend it. ### How many characters fit in one SMS in Spanish? A GSM 7-bit message holds 160 characters, but á, í, ó and ú are outside that alphabet, so one of them switches the message to Unicode, which holds 70 characters per message and 67 per part. ### Should I use SMS or WhatsApp for OTPs in Mexico? Use both through fallback. WhatsApp authentication templates suit users with the app and data, while SMS reaches any handset. A common pattern is to send on WhatsApp first and fall back to SMS if the code is not delivered. ### Which Mexican networks does OmniChannels.ai reach? Telcel, AT&T Mexico and Movistar Mexico, all over direct routes. Test every campaign on all three networks. ## Official sources - [Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT)](https://www.gob.mx/crt) - [Ley en Materia de Telecomunicaciones y Radiodifusión (DOF, 16 July 2025)](https://sidof.segob.gob.mx/notas/5763167) Updated: 2026-11-06