When engaging customers through SMS messages in France, you are legally required to give end-users the ability to opt out from all promotional messages via a short code. You can choose to use a dedicated short code or a shared short code through a local partner for your opt-out/STOP messages. Be aware that these processes can differ by aggregator, such as mGage or Infobip.

Timeframe restrictions for marketing messages

Before you get started, it's important to note that marketing messages are not allowed in France:

• Before 08:00 AM or after 08:00 PM on weekdays
• Before 10 am or after 6 PM on Saturdays
• Anytime on Sundays or national holidays

During these time frames, all promotional message traffic is blocked by either the local vendor or carrier and will fail. If you send messages between these time frames, Acoustic is still charged for this traffic and bills your organization. If an SMS send is started too late, it can create a situation where only a portion of the messages is delivered while the balance of outgoing SMS messages fails.

Opt-out management

The aggregator opts out the sender ID by using the last message sent before the opt-out request. As the aggregator enforces opt-outs at the sender ID level, all messages from that sender ID are blocked and the contact is added to the suppression list. If the contact wants to rejoin your SMS program, then you must provide clear evidence of the contact's request to Acoustic. The request is forwarded to the SMS partner who will then follow the required processes. If approved, the aggregator removes the requested mobile user from the suppression list.

Short code regulations

Dedicated short codes

With a dedicated code, you need to provide details of how to opt out, such as STOP <your code> in your messages. Dedicated French codes function in every way as normal dedicated codes.

SMS partners (such as mGage and Infobip) do not check for opt-out requests or do any local suppression. This is your responsibility.

Shared short codes

Shared short code for SMS messages in France works a little differently than in other countries. For a French shared code, you need to collect SMS consent through a web service, e.g. Campaign web forms. If you use other web forms, make sure to import consent into Campaign. You cannot obtain consent by keyword text from a handset.

Shared short codes:

• Opt-in via mobile originated (MO) messages is not supported for shared short codes, only by web form.
• Campaign pre-approval is not needed as long as spam does not run through it.
• STOP MO messages to the designated stop short code have an automated confirmation in French provided directly by the local vendor. Customers will not be able to respond to the confirmation.

Note: When a contact submits a STOP MO message, the opt-out is in direct relation to the last MT message received from the last sender ID.

• Include your opt-out text STOP <your code> at the end of each outbound message. If you use a shared short code with one of our SMS Partners, then you must specify the designated shared short code:
  • mGage: Opt-out via web form. Create a Campaign web form linked to your SMS-enabled database and include the opt-out URL in your outbound messages. For setup instructions, see Set up an mGage web form opt-out
  • InfoBip: STOP au 36173

For Campaign Manager users

The following details apply to Campaign Manager users only.

French mobile operators do not notify the SMS campaign manager of STOP requests in the same way as other operators. As a result, the STOP requests do not appear in the SMS Campaign Manager Messages area. Instead, the STOP request is forwarded to your aggregator, where the mobile number is added to a local suppression table. If you try to send new SMS messages to the same mobile number with the same sender ID, the message will be cross-checked and suppressed.

How sent messages move from your campaign to an end user

1. When you create and send an SMS campaign and program, Campaign uses API to deliver outgoing SMS messages to the SMS Campaign Manager and to mGage USA. Include the opt-out web form URL at the end of each outbound message so that recipients can unsubscribe.
2. For each outgoing SMS message, the designated mobile number is checked to determine if the end user's mobile number is associated with France. There are no direct connections to mobile carriers in France, so outgoing messages are sent to its local French partner.
3. The local French aggregator forwards the SMS messages to the carriers’ SMS gateway for delivery.
4. The French mobile carrier then delivers the outgoing SMS to the end user, generates a delivery receipt and forwards it to the local aggregator.
5. The local aggregator then forwards the delivery receipt and adds its acknowledgment (in the form of a universal behavior) to the Campaign database. The SMS Campaign Manager messages report shows that the delivery receipt is received after the message is delivered to the end user.

When the end user wants to stop receiving messages and opts out of the program

For mGage clients using one-way alphanumeric sender IDs, opt-outs are handled through a Campaign web form rather than via SMS short code.

When the end user submits the opt-out form, their mobile number triggers a multistep program in mGage Communicate Pro, which processes the opt-out request and removes them from the relevant Text to Join program. Depending on your market, an outbound SMS may also be sent to acknowledge the request.

Set up a web form opt-out for mGage

Use the following steps to set up the opt-out flow using Campaign Manager and mGage Communicate Pro.

In SMS Campaign Manager:

1. Ensure you have a Text to Join program, or create one. This is used later by the multistep program and your web forms.
2. Create a multistep program in SMS Campaign Manager. Give it a descriptive name such as WebformConsent.
   • Set up an initial listener keyword, such as wfunsub.
   • Set the short code to your sender ID.
   • Set session timeout to 5 or 10 minutes.
   • Provide stop and help text.
   • Leave Forward DRs set to No.
3. Save the multistep program to access the canvas.
4. Click the arrow next to your keyword listener and choose Output.
5. Change the action type from Send SMS to Opt out.
6. Select the Text to Join program you want to link the process to.
7. If your market requires an acknowledgment message, click Add action and choose Send SMS to send an outbound confirmation to the end user.
8. Save the program.

In Campaign:

9. Create a web form against your SMS-enabled database.
10. Open the Manage site tab and select Standard web form from the New web form dropdown.
11. Give the web form a name, such as SMS_OptOut, and save.
12. Click the yellow zone to edit the form.
13. Remove the email field and add the mobile field — this form only needs the mobile number to process an opt-out.
14. Click the mobile form object to open its properties.
15. Set SMS double opt-in program to the multistep program you created.
16. Update the disclaimer text to reflect the purpose of the form — for example, explaining that submitting the form will unsubscribe the user from SMS messages.
17. Save the form and publish your site.
18. Go to site settings, select the web form from the dropdown, and click Copy to get the web form URL.
19. Add this URL to your outbound SMS messages and any relevant pages such as terms and conditions, so that recipients know how to opt out.

Note: If you use the Acoustic Campaign URL shortening and tracking service, a shortened URL is active for 30 days from the date the message is sent. Paste the opt-out form URL into each outbound message and apply shortening each time.

Update the SMS consent status within the Campaign database

1. End user receives a message from Acoustic Content provider.
2. End user visits the opt-out web form URL included in the message and submits their mobile number.
3. The web form triggers the multistep program in mGage Communicate Pro, which processes the opt-out and removes the end user from the Text to Join program.
4. The mobile number is added to the suppression list, preventing future messages from being sent to this number on the same sender ID.

For the time being, clients who wish to update their systems to reflect contacts who have opted out can request the opt-out list. You can also use the report to update the SMS consent status so you do not send any new SMS messages to these users in the future.

How opt-out works in Infobip

When using a shared short code, French mobile operators will notify Infobip of opt-out requests. However, Infobip will not pass these to Campaign. Instead, Infobip will add this mobile number to its local suppression table. If you try to send a new SMS message to the same mobile number with the same Sender ID, your new outbound message will be cross-checked and suppressed.

1. When you create and send a campaign, Acoustic forwards the mobile terminated (MT) message to Infobip. At the same time, Infobip stores the information about the original sender and MSISDN to match mobile originated (MO) messages later. A delivery report is then forwarded to Acoustic.
2. If an end user chooses to opt out of SMS messages, they send the STOP request to Infobip through the shared short code. Infobip adds the phone number to their suppression list. When you send your next campaign to the same phone number, Infobip discards the requests and responds to Acoustic.
3. Acoustic send the opt-out trigger for that user from the organization/program ID that was used for sending the campaign.
4. Once the end user is opted out, they will be removed from the subsequent campaign in that program from your organization. If you use a different program for a campaign, Acoustic will send an MT message to Infobip for that user number. Infobip will then discard the request.
5. Acoustic opts out the user's number from the second program. This process will continue for any new program that is used for the campaign for that user.

Infobip's online reporting portal shows whenever the end user sends an opt-out request on the shared short code. You do not have to send a second SMS for the SMS consent to be automatically updated. You can use the opt-out data from the reporting portal and manually opt out the end users from your Campaign database.