Messaging features are available on French mobile numbers with certain restrictions due to local regulations, including the prohibition of bulk and automated messaging. Mobile numbers are marketed as individual lines that cannot be shared by multiple users. French operators have started to apply volume limits to outgoing SMS messages limiting conversations between two people.
Volume limitations
Our providers enforce automatic limitations of outbound SMS to:
- 100 SMS hourly
- 1000 SMS daily
- 10,000 SMS monthly
⚠️ These volumes are expressed in “segments”. See the Segments section below to understand what a segment is.
Any French mobile number exceeding these volumes is automatically suspended for 3 months. They may be unblocked under strict conditions. If another breach is detected, the mobile number is permanently suspended by Aircall and Aircall’s network carriers.
SMS failing to be sent
When sending a message, you may see your SMS appearing in a red box as "not sent". This means that you have used the threshold of segments allowed.
Product restrictions to avoid reaching the SMS Volume limits
Aircall has implemented limits to SMS segments directly in our product. They restrict any customers from sending more than 10,000 outbound SMS per month for each French mobile line.
After reaching this limit, an error will be displayed reading: “Forbidden Exception: the line exceeded number of messages limit for the current month (UTC)”
Tips on Usage of Mobile Numbers to not exceed SMS Volume limits
Avoid using French mobile numbers for marketing or bulk campaigns.
Reduce the length of SMS sent to 2 segments per message maximum.
Assign a different line to each user to spread volume across different lines. Keep in mind that French regulations only allow one identified user per mobile line and prohibit multiple users communicating with the same mobile line.
What is a “Segment?”
The telco industry (carriers and providers), count text messages in "segments." Segments come from the SMS standard that was implemented in the 1990s, and is still in use today.
1 segment is 160 characters (using only a specific range of characters).
When writing or receiving longer text messages, they are combined to appear as single messages, even if they contain several segments (up to 1600 characters).
To verify how many segments are in your messages, you can easily find segment calculators online.