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Guideline when sending Text Messages in Uganda

  • Writer: Ntende Kenneth
    Ntende Kenneth
  • Jun 28
  • 2 min read

This document provides regulatory, compliance, and practical guidance for businesses using Trembi Campaigns to send SMS messages in Uganda.


Summary

Field

Detail

Country Name

Uganda

ISO Code

UG

Region

Africa

Mobile Country Code (MCC)

641

Dialing Code

+256


Messaging Capabilities

Feature

Support

Two-way SMS

❌ Not supported

Number Portability

❌ Not available

Concatenated Message Support

✅ Yes (depends on encoding/sender ID)

UCS-2 Support

✅ Supported

MMS Support

❌ Not supported (converted to SMS with URL)

SMS to Landlines

❌ Not supported (blocked and rejected)

SMS Message Length & Splitting

Encoding

Characters Before Split

Characters per Segment After Split

GSM-7

160

153

UCS-2

70

67

Note: Use GSM-7 whenever possible to reduce costs.


Compliance & Legal Considerations

Trembi Campaigns recommends that all clients follow local SMS compliance laws:

  • Opt-In: Only message users who have consented.

  • Time Sensitivity: Send during business hours unless urgent.

  • DND Lists: Avoid numbers registered on Do-Not-Disturb lists.

  • Opt-out Support: Enable STOP and HELP commands in local language.

  • Content Restrictions: Avoid sending content considered sensitive or illegal under local laws.


Sender ID Rules

Category

Details

Alphanumeric Sender ID

✅ Supported (pre-registration required for MTN)

Dynamic Sender ID

✅ Supported but not recommended

Sender ID Preservation

✅ Preserved when registered

Provisioning Time

Up to 1 week

Operator Support

MTN, Airtel, Smart, Lyca


Disallowed Sender ID Examples

Avoid generic or vague sender names. These are often blocked by mobile operators:

✅ Allowed

🚫 Not Allowed

TREMBCAMP

INFO

BANKUG

VERIFY

JUMIAUG

SMSALERT

Best Practice: Use a brand-specific Sender ID that matches your business name or service.


Long Codes & Short Codes

Type

Domestic Long Code

International Long Code

Short Code

Operator Support

❌ Not supported

✅ Supported

❌ Not supported

Trembi Support

❌ Not supported

✅ Supported

❌ Not supported

Sender ID Preservation

N/A

✅ Yes

N/A

UCS-2 Support

N/A

✅ Supported

N/A

Note: Ugandan mobile operators do not support numeric sender IDs. Always use a registered Alphanumeric Sender ID for best deliverability.


Common Use Cases in Uganda

Industry

Use Cases

Retail & E-commerce

Flash sales, delivery updates, promo alerts

Financial Services

Transaction alerts, loan reminders

Education

Class updates, school fee reminders

Healthcare

Appointment reminders, vaccination alerts

NGOs

Mass awareness campaigns, donor communications

Troubleshooting Checklist

If your messages are not delivering:

  • Is the sender ID registered and approved?

  • Are you using correct local formatting (+256)?

  • Are messages using GSM encoding?

  • Have recipients opted in?

  • Are you sending only to mobile (not landline) numbers?


Helpful Links


Final Tips

  • Don’t use generic sender names like INFO or NOTIFY.

  • Always test messages with your team before full rollout.

  • Consider scheduling campaigns during local peak engagement times (typically 9 AM – 5 PM weekdays).


Need Help?

Contact Trembi Campaigns Support at support@trembi.com


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