United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Like most Middle Eastern regions, the United Arab Emirates has tremendously rigid messaging laws in place, and carriers impose strict filters on all SMS messages. It can even be difficult to deliver critical or time-sensitive A2P (application to person) messages. See the full list of restrictions in the table below, or read more at the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

If you want to send messages to or from the UAE, our sales advisors can help you put together a program that meets your critical business needs. We have the knowledge and expertise to help ensure that your SMS messaging program works effectively, so get in touch.

Restriction	Description
DND exists	No
Time restrictions	Yes SMS messages may be sent between 7 AM - 9 PM (UAE standard time) only.
International vs local split	Yes
Local traffic	All local traffic will require sender ID registration and the messages will be routed via our UAE local routes.
International traffic	All international sender IDs require registration and will be routed via our international UAE routes at higher international rates.
General content restrictions	Gambling, adult, money/loan, political, religious, controlled substance, cannabis, and alcohol-related content is not allowed.
Content registration required	Content registration is required for message content containing a URL link.
Opt-out instructions required	Yes An opt-out message must be included in the SMS text and the body pushed out, e.g., "To opt out SMS N to XXXX" (English) or "XXXX NO?XXXX" (Arabic), in accordance with regulations laid down by the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA). This will use 24 characters in English and 17 characters in Arabic. The number of characters for a single message will thus decrease to 136 (English) and 53 (Arabic). This regulation will be in place until further notice. *Note: opt-out regulations are not applicable in cases where the client owns a database of opted-in customers/end-users (attested to in writing). Auto-replies sent out as part of interactive campaigns need not include ‘opt-out’ text.
Sender ID regulations	Pre-registration is required. Numeric and unregistered sender IDs will be blocked. Starting 1 December 2024, the Etisalat telco applies two charges: A once-off sender ID registration fee and a monthly recurring fee per sender ID. (Enquire about pricing with our Support Team.) All promotional messages must have the sender ID prefix "AD-". As of 1 November 2021, all brands sending promotional (marketing) SMS messages in UAE are required by TDRA Rules & Regulations to register their sender names and upload a consent database on the new Consent Management System (CMS) platform for approval from the operator, and to prevent their SMS messages from being blocked. All promotional SMS without any consent list in the CMS platform will not be delivered but will be charged. Once registered on the CMS platform, the sender ID still needs to be registered. For any further information regarding the requirements, please reach out to our Support Team.
Sender ID registration offered by Clickatell	Limited availability
Sender ID documentation required	Yes
Country supports MNP	Yes