Regional-language SMS works the same way as English, with two differences: the message is sent as Unicode, and your DLT template must be registered in that language.
What to expect on length and cost #
- A Unicode SMS holds 70 characters, then 67 per additional part.
- A typical two-line Hindi message therefore often costs two or three parts, where the English version would cost one.
- Mixing English and Hindi does not help: the whole message is Unicode as soon as any Hindi character appears.
Steps #
- Register the template on your DLT portal in the same language you intend to send. A Hindi message sent against an English-approved template fails as a template mismatch.
- Add the template to your account with its DLT Template ID, under your message templates.
- Check the length. Paste the final text into Extra > SMS Length Calculator; the Encoding should read Unicode, and Cost tells you the parts per recipient.
- Send a test to your own number first. Confirm the script renders correctly on an Android and an iPhone before the full campaign.
Common problems #
| Symptom | Cause |
|---|---|
| Boxes or question marks instead of letters | The text lost its encoding somewhere between your file and the send box. Retype or paste from a UTF-8 source. |
| Template mismatch failure | The DLT template is in a different language or has different wording from what was sent. |
| Cost higher than expected | Normal for Unicode. Shorten the text, or keep purely transactional parts in English where that suits your customers. |
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