# Choose the right sender : Availability and restrictions by country ### You can, however, send transactional messages at any time needed.**Choosing the Right senders** MessageBird offers you the option to send messages via different types of senders the most common worldwide being alphanumeric. However, due to local restrictions in certain countries, different types of originators may work best for different use cases, Below you can find additional information on a country-per-country basis. {% hint style="info" %} if you only send 1-way traffic (either transactional or promotional) you can, in most cases, obtain world cover by just using 2 senders: * one Toll Free Number for both USA and Canada * one Alphanumeric for the rest of the world if you intend to send 2 ways traffic you may need up to one sender per country {% endhint %} ### Alphanumeric senders Alphanumeric senders are words your user receives in the form field of SMS. They only work `1 way` but are a great option for both branding (you can use your company name) and coverage (the same Alphanumeric can be used to send traffic to multiple countries). ### OPT-OUT and Subscriptions In most countries of the world you can fulfill your OPT OUT obligation by including an OPT link in your messages, this allows to utilize Alphanumeric. In few other countries (notably in both [USA](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-north-america/united-states) and [Canada](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-north-america/canada)) you are mandated to accept user OPT OUT requests by SMS (for example recognize and act on your user texting you `STOP`) Because of this you must use 2 ways numbers even when sending 1 way or promotional traffic. ### **Sending messages containing URL** In certain countries, local operators will block URLs if they are not registered and ore are not clearly recognizable as belonging to a brand. Below you can find additional information on a country-by-country basis; if a country supports generic URL you can use any domain including shared shorteners (for example `brd.to/xxxx` if a country does not support Generic URL shortener you can only use branded shorteners. {% hint style="info" %} In most country a branded subdomain is considered enough to identify an url exampel `{brand}.brd.to/xxxx` {% endhint %} ### **Blocked message and error code** Whenever possible MessageBird provides a dedicated error code and status reason to indicate the SMS failed to deliver due to lack of registration and/or forbidden content. You can find more information on Failed SMS Troubleshooting in [this article](https://support.messagebird.com/hc/en-us/articles/203828372-SMS-Delivery-Statuses), or you can directly check our detailed Status List on our [Developer Page.](https://developers.messagebird.com/api/sms-messaging/#sms-statuses) ### **Sender ID Registration Information** In most countries, a quick check performed by bird will be enough to enable you to send traffic however in other countries in pre-registration of the sender ID is conducted externally by a carrier or regulatory-controlled entity. In such cases, registration may take longer and require to provide additional information. {% hint style="info" %} If a country is not explicitly listed below, please refer to the rest of the World entry {% endhint %} ### Quiet Hours in many countries, you are requested or mandated not to send `promotional` messages on certain days or during certain hours. You can however send transactional messages at any time needed. ## Countries & restrictions {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-africa-a-l" %} [sms-country-information-guide-africa-a-l](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-africa-a-l) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-africa-m-z" %} [sms-country-information-guide-africa-m-z](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-africa-m-z) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-asia-a-k" %} [sms-country-information-guide-asia-a-k](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-asia-a-k) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-asia-l-z" %} [sms-country-information-guide-asia-l-z](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-asia-l-z) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-caribbean" %} [sms-country-information-guide-caribbean](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-caribbean) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-central-america" %} [sms-country-information-guide-central-america](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-central-america) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-europe-a-m" %} [sms-country-information-guide-europe-a-m](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-europe-a-m) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-europe-n-z" %} [sms-country-information-guide-europe-n-z](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-europe-n-z) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-middle-east" %} [sms-country-information-guide-middle-east](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-middle-east) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-north-america" %} [sms-country-information-guide-north-america](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-north-america) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-oceania" %} [sms-country-information-guide-oceania](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-oceania) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-south-america" %} [sms-country-information-guide-south-america](https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country/sms-country-information-guide-south-america) {% endcontent-ref %} --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.bird.com/applications/channels/channels/supported-channels/sms/concepts/choose-the-right-sender-availability-and-restrictions-by-country.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.