Sending to New Zealand
When sending SMS messages to contacts in New Zealand, there are specific legislations in place that must be adhered to. This article contains some simple guidelines to help you make sure you're doing the right thing when sending messages to New Zealand mobiles:
You can download a PDF of this information here:
MessageMedia Short code compliance 2 pager_210407.pdf
When sending SMS messages to New Zealand mobile numbers:
- It is compulsory to include your business/brand name and contact details in the message
- A functioning opt-out via text message must be provided at the end of all marketing messages
- Any marketing/promotional messages must be sent from a zero-rated short code* so recipients can reply with an opt-out free of charge irrespective if standard rated codes have been used for previous outbound notifications
- Other messages from a normal rated short code, where replies will incur a charge, should let the recipient know e.g. “Replies will incur a cost”
- All messages must comply with NZ Privacy and SPAM legislation. The Department of Internal Affairs website has lots of information on electronic messaging compliance and SPAM.
Please note that these guidelines are not legal advice or an exhaustive list of the NZ Privacy and Spam legislation – it is your responsibility to make sure that any messages you send using our services are compliant with relevant laws.
Here is an example of a message that meets these guidelines:
ABC Sportswear: Come into store this Friday for 50% off all stock for members. Make sure you bring your membership cards. Reply STOP to opt-out or ph 0800XXXX.
[Note: a zero-rated short code* needs to be in place for this as it’s a marketing message to ensure the opt-out is free of charge to the recipient]
We're here to help you
Our customer care team is available to help you with any questions. They can also help with provisioning the correct short codes to your account if you do plan on sending marketing messages to or within New Zealand. Our contact email and phone number are available at the foot of this page.