International SMS
Cross-border messaging into 220+ countries - with country-specific sender ID rules applied automatically, full Unicode and concatenation support, time-zone aware throttling and per-destination delivery analytics.
220+
Countries and territories
800+
Operator connections
< 5 s
Median delivery on direct routes
What is International SMS?
Sending SMS across borders is harder than sending it at home: sender ID rules differ by country, some networks require pre-registration, alphabets and character sets vary, and a message that is perfectly compliant in one market may be filtered as spam in the next. Dollu's international SMS service removes that complexity. You submit messages once, over SMPP or the REST API, and we apply the correct sender ID treatment, encoding and route for every destination automatically.
Coverage extends to 220+ countries and territories over more than 800 operator connections, the majority direct SMPP binds into the terminating network. Direct routes deliver in seconds, keep your sender ID intact where the destination allows it and return real handset delivery receipts. Where a market mandates a registered or local sender - India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Turkey and others - our compliance desk manages the registration and our routing engine substitutes the approved sender before dispatch.
Content is handled correctly in every script. GSM-7 messages are segmented at 160 characters, UCS-2 messages at 70, and concatenated messages up to 10 segments are reassembled on the handset. Time-zone aware throttling lets you set local delivery windows per destination - no marketing message at 3 a.m., no promotional SMS during quiet hours mandated by a regulator - while OTP and transactional traffic passes through untouched. Real-time HLR lookup checks that a number is live and identifies its current operator before we spend a message on it.
Delivery analytics are broken down by country, operator, sender ID and message class, with latency percentiles and DLR reason codes, so you can see precisely how each market performs and where a template, sender or send window should change. Global marketplaces, travel platforms, gaming studios and remittance providers use the service to reach customers in dozens of countries from one integration and one invoice.
A2P SMS path: from your application to the handset.
Why choose Dollu for international sms.
The advantages of buying from a carrier that owns its network, interconnects and operations - rather than a reseller.
Every market, one integration
Send to any destination with the same API call; sender ID substitution, encoding and route selection are resolved per country without changes to your code.
Right alphabet, right length
Automatic detection of GSM-7 versus Unicode content, correct segmentation and reassembly, and a preview of segment count and cost before you send.
Delivered at a sensible local hour
Per-destination send windows and regulator quiet hours enforced by the platform, with messages queued and released at the right local time.
Visibility by market
Delivery rate, latency and failure reasons per country and operator so you can compare markets, catch filtering early and prove performance to stakeholders.
No wasted sends
HLR lookup and number validation reject dead, invalid and unreachable numbers before they cost you a message, and identify ported numbers for correct routing.
Capabilities in detail.
Everything included with International SMS - the platform features, options and controls you get from day one.
- 01
Global route portfolio
Direct operator binds and vetted premium hubs across 220+ countries, scored continuously on delivery rate, latency and DLR accuracy, with automatic failover between suppliers.
- 02
Sender ID rule engine
Per-country policies for alphanumeric, numeric, short code and registered senders applied before dispatch; approved-sender substitution where required; portal preview of the sender your recipient will see.
- 03
Registration and compliance desk
Sender ID and template registration in regulated markets, consent and opt-out handling for GDPR, TCPA and local rules, and proactive notices when a country changes its requirements.
- 04
Encoding and concatenation
GSM-7 with national language shift tables, UCS-2 for non-Latin scripts and emoji, concatenated messages up to 10 segments, and automatic character-set optimisation to minimise segments.
- 05
Time-zone and throttle controls
Per-destination delivery windows, regulator quiet hours, per-country TPS caps and staged campaign release, with transactional traffic exempted.
- 06
Number intelligence
Real-time HLR and MNP lookup, number formatting to E.164, validation of length and prefix, and roaming status where the operator exposes it.
- 07
Delivery analytics
Country, operator, sender and message-class breakdowns; latency percentiles; DLR reason codes; scheduled exports and API access to raw records.
- 08
Two-way international replies
Virtual mobile numbers in 100+ countries so recipients can reply locally, with inbound messages routed to your webhook or SMPP receiver bind.
How it works.
From first conversation to live traffic - a tracked, engineer-led onboarding with a named owner at every step.
- Step 01
Map your destinations
Share the countries and message types you need. We return per-country sender ID rules, registration requirements, pricing and expected latency.
- Step 02
Register where required
Our compliance desk registers senders and templates in regulated markets while you integrate over SMPP or REST and test on our handset lab numbers.
- Step 03
Launch with local settings
Configure send windows, quiet hours and per-country throttles, then release traffic with automatic sender substitution and encoding handled by the platform.
- Step 04
Compare and tune
Use per-market analytics with your account manager to adjust templates, senders and timing where delivery or engagement lags.
Direct, premium or grey.
Where an SMS route class shows up: in delivery, in the sender ID your customer sees, in the truthfulness of the delivery receipt and in the compliance risk you carry.
| Dimension | Direct operator | Premium aggregated | Grey routesNot offered by Dollu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery | Direct SMPP bind to the mobile operator; the highest and most consistent delivery | Via a vetted hub or Tier-1 aggregator holding operator agreements; high delivery with occasional re-routing | Via SIM farms or unauthorised international paths; unpredictable, filtered and blocked without notice |
| Sender ID | Registered alphanumeric ID, short code or long number preserved exactly | Registered sender ID normally preserved; may be substituted on a few destinations | Overwritten with a random numeric sender; your brand is invisible |
| DLR quality | Handset delivery receipts from the operator | Operator or hub receipts; reliable, occasionally delayed | Fake or aggregator-generated receipts; no proof of delivery |
| Compliance risk | Lowest - operator-approved, with DLT, 10DLC or sender-ID registration completed up front | Low - operator agreements in place; Dollu vets every hub it uses | High - breaches operator terms and local law; carries fines, blacklisting and lost sender IDs |
| Price position | Highest per message; the lowest cost per delivered, verified message | Mid | Lowest headline price; the hidden cost is failed OTPs, blocked traffic and brand damage |
Dollu does not sell grey routes. Every destination on our deck is direct operator or premium aggregated, and the route class is shown against each price so you know exactly what you are buying.
Who uses this and why.
Typical deployments across carriers, enterprises, platforms and contact centres.
Travel and airlines
Booking confirmations, gate changes and disruption alerts to passengers in any country, timed to local hours and delivered in the traveller's script.
Global marketplaces
Order and shipping notifications to buyers and sellers across dozens of markets from one integration, with local sender IDs where mandated.
Gaming and app publishers
Verification codes, event reminders and re-engagement messages to a worldwide user base with per-country delivery insight.
Remittance and fintech
Transfer confirmations and pickup codes to recipients in emerging markets over direct operator routes.
Education platforms
Class reminders, exam results and enrolment notices to students and parents in multiple countries and languages.
Technical & commercial specifications.
Key parameters at a glance. Ask us for the full service description and SLA document.
| Coverage | 220+ countries and territories; 800+ operator connections |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | SMPP 3.4 (TLS optional), REST/HTTP API, campaign portal |
| Sender IDs | Alphanumeric, numeric, short code, registered/local per country |
| Encoding | GSM-7 (with shift tables) and UCS-2; up to 10 concatenated segments |
| Throttling | Per-destination TPS, delivery windows and quiet hours |
| Lookup | Real-time HLR/MNP; E.164 validation and formatting |
| Delivery receipts | Operator DLRs with standardised status and reason codes |
| Analytics | By country, operator, sender and class; API and CSV export |
| Billing | Per message by destination and operator; prepaid or postpaid |
| Support | 24×7 NOC; P1 response ≤ 15 min; compliance desk |
How Messaging is priced.
A2P, OTP and promotional SMS are priced per message by destination and route class - direct operator or premium aggregated. Wholesale SMPP decks for aggregators; RCS and WhatsApp per conversation or session.
We publish the model, not a public rate card - actual rates depend on destination, route class, volume and regulatory cost. See how every Dollu service is priced.
- Direct-operator and premium route tiers per destination
- Sender ID and DLT registration assistance included
- Volume-based discounts by monthly message count
- Two-way inbound priced per number
- RCS and WhatsApp Business per conversation or session
- Billing
- Per submitted message, itemised by destination and route; prepaid or postpaid
- Commitment
- None - month-to-month; volume commitments unlock better tiers
220+ destinations, 800+ operator connections.
Direct operator binds and premium aggregated routes into every major mobile network. Country guides explain the sender-ID rules, KYC and route options in the markets we are asked about most.
- Australia+61
- Brazil+55
- Canada+1
- France+33
- Germany+49
- Hong Kong+852
- India+91
- Mexico+52
- Netherlands+31
- Philippines+63
- Saudi Arabia+966
- Singapore+65
- South Africa+27
- United Arab Emirates+971
- United Kingdom+44
- United States+1
Sender-ID registration markets
In these destinations A2P traffic is scrubbed unless the sender is pre-registered. Dollu’s compliance desk prepares and submits the registrations before your first message.
- IndiaDLT entity, header and template registration
- UAESender IDs registered with e& and du under TDRA rules
- Saudi ArabiaSender IDs registered with stc, Mobily and Zain under CST rules
- SingaporeSMS Sender ID Registry (SSIR); UEN required
- PhilippinesSender-ID whitelisting with Globe, Smart and DITO
- United States10DLC brand and campaign registration
International SMS - your questions answered.
The questions customers and carriers ask us most often before they interconnect. If yours is not here, our team answers within one business day.
Still have a question?
Ask our solutions teamRelated services.
Services customers commonly combine with International SMS.
Reach every market from one API.
Send us your destination list and monthly volume and we will return per-country pricing, sender ID rules and test credentials within one business day.
