SMS destination
Ethiopia
Dialing code +251 · Africa. Everything you need to send compliant SMS to Ethiopia with the Bird SMS API.
Policy last updated July 13, 2026
What you can send
Two-way messaging
Not available
Before you send
Alphanumeric sender IDs must be registered for Ethiopia before traffic can deliver. The lead time is listed with the sender types below. File once from the dashboard and track approval through the API.
Sender types
Every way you can originate a message to this country, with how each is cleared for use and how long that takes. Listed best route first.
| Sender | Activation | Setup time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphanumeric Sender ID | Sender ID registration | ~5 business days | One-way only. |
Rules & regulations
What local regulators expect before you send, as the destination's own policy record states it.
What this market refuses
Local Banking and Promotional traffic prohibited
One API
How sending works
You send to every destination through the same endpoint and the same keys. Bird picks a compliant route for the country, applies opt-out handling on every message, and reports delivery from carrier receipts. The country-specific part is which sender you register. The API call does not change.
Sending to Ethiopia, answered
What senders ask before their first message to Ethiopia.
Do I need to register a sender before sending SMS to Ethiopia?
Can I use an alphanumeric sender ID in Ethiopia?
How long does sender registration take in Ethiopia?
Can I receive replies from Ethiopia?
Are there quiet hours for SMS in Ethiopia?
What other channels can Bird reach Ethiopia on?
The rest of the SMS platform
One API, one set of keys. Explore the other capabilities.
Put it into practice.
Continue with the documentation, guides and examples for this topic. Resources are in English.
Start sending to Ethiopia
Create a workspace, register a sender, and send your first message from the same API you will scale on.