How to send SMS to other countries?

Question

Hello.

I just created an account on Amazon AWS to be able to send SMS to people that opt-in on my PERSONAL WEBSITE. I am no longer in the Sandbox, I am in Production now.

** I am not allowed to write country names in my message for some reasons, that is pretty weird, it will make it very complicated to get help. Here are some clues to know which countries I refer to **
Country1 = Country of Hockey and Polar bears.
Country2 = Just below Country1.
Country3 = Small Island besides Surf country.

I am located in Country1. I am able to send messages to people from Country1. That has been tested and is working.  My SMS are send from a .NET application, it's all working for numbers in Country1.

But I am unable to send to people in the Country2. I also tried Country3 and the person doesn't receive the SMS.

To Country2 I get this error : No origination identity available to send to destination number.
To Country3 I get a success message, but the person never receives the message : Message has been accepted by phone carrier.

Which step do I have to do to be able to send to every countries? I don't know form where in the world people opting-in will be.

From what I think I understood for Country2, I have to somehow get a phone number, toll-free or 10DLC. But they require to register a brand. I am not a brand, I am just a personal website with a community of users.

Anyone willing to help me?  I would at least need to be able to send SMS to Country2. That would cover most of my visitors.

Thank you in advance for the help by giving hints or sharing links. I am not a super technical person so all that is so complicated.

re:Post Agent · Answer

To send SMS messages to other countries from your AWS account, you'll need to follow a few steps and be aware of certain requirements:

1. For sending SMS to Country2 (presumably the United States), you'll need to obtain an origination identity. Since you're not a brand but running a personal website, you have a few options:

- Toll-free number: This might be the easiest option for your use case. You can request a toll-free number through AWS, which allows you to send messages to US recipients.
   - 10DLC (10-digit long code): This requires brand registration, but you can register as an individual or small business. It's a more involved process but provides better deliverability.

2. For Country3 (possibly the United Kingdom or Ireland), the issue might be related to sender ID requirements or carrier filtering. To improve deliverability:

- Consider using a sender ID if supported in that country. You can request a sender ID through the AWS console or API.
   - Ensure your message content complies with local regulations and best practices to avoid being filtered as spam.

3. To send to multiple countries:

- Research the requirements for each country you want to send to. Some countries may require pre-registration or have specific sender ID rules.
   - Consider using dynamic sender IDs where supported, which allows you to use different sender identities for different countries.
   - Be aware of country-specific regulations and opt-in requirements.

4. General tips:

- Use the AWS Pinpoint console to manage your SMS settings and monitor your sending capabilities for different countries.
   - Consider implementing country-level blocking to control which countries you can send to, reducing risk and ensuring compliance.
   - Keep your monthly spending limits in mind, as sending to international numbers can incur higher costs.

Remember that SMS regulations and requirements can vary significantly between countries. It's important to stay informed about the specific requirements for each country you plan to send messages to. If you're having trouble with specific countries, you may need to contact AWS support for more detailed assistance with your account setup and permissions.  
**Sources**  
[Sending SMS messages using Amazon SNS - Amazon Simple Notification Service](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/sns/latest/dg/sms_sending-overview.html)  
[How to Send SMS Using a Sender ID with Amazon Pinpoint | AWS Messaging & Targeting Blog](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/messaging-and-targeting/how-to-send-sms-using-a-sender-id-with-amazon-pinpoint/)  
[Lower Your Risk of SMS Fraud with Country Level Blocking and Amazon Pinpoint | AWS Messaging & Targeting Blog](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/messaging-and-targeting/lower-your-risk-of-sms-fraud-with-country-level-blocking-and-amazon-pinpoint/)

How to send SMS to other countries?

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