Send SMS In Qatar: Regulations and Best Practices

Qatar, a West Asian country, currently has 4.89 million active cellular mobile connections as of early 2023, which is equivalent to 96.8 percent of its total population. SMS services can be a useful tool for businesses intending to connect with more customers for promotional, transactional, and verification purposes. However, to ensure effective SMS communication in Qatar, businesses must follow specific regulations and best practices.

Country code: QA

Calling code: +974

Mobile number portability (MNP): No

Mobile Country Codes (MCC): 427

The four main mobile carriers in Qatar are Ooredoo Group, Vodafone Group, Etisalat, Huawei, and Starlink.

For companies that have registered offices in Qatar.

• Alphanumeric Sender IDs need to be registered in all Qatari networks.

• To register, we require a SenderID, Company Name, Website, Message Content, and Qatar Commercial Registration Certificate.

• The expected time for registration is 5–10 business days

For companies that do not have registered offices in Qatar.

• Alphanumeric Sender IDs need to be registered in all Qatari networks.

• To register, we require a SenderID, Company Name, Website, Message Content, and No Objection Certificate.

• The expected time for registration is 5–10 business days.

• Send marketing messages only to users who have previously given their consent.

• Send transactional messages only to users with whom you have a business relationship or who have opted in to receive them.

• It is recommended to display the URL and toll-free number for opt-out, opt-out via the website, or reply to SMS free of charge.

• Political, religious, unsolicited, or gambling content is not allowed.

• The best strategy is to communicate only during the daytime unless it is urgent.

• SMS campaigns should include HELP/STOP messages in the user's native language.

• Generic sender IDs such as INFO, SMS, NOTICE, etc. are prohibited.

• Do not contact users on do-not-call or do-not-disturb registries.

• There is no fee for Qatar SenderID registration.
• The charge for the service is per SMS submitted.

Visit SMS API Pricing for more details.