UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) advises government entities and companies using Application-to-Person messaging to switch to the Direct Model during the corrective period to ensure uninterrupted service.
A2P SMS allows businesses to send automated messages from an application to users. The Direct Model sends messages directly from an SMS aggregator to the end user, without intermediaries. Companies must complete the migration by December 31, 2026, when the corrective period ends.
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This applies to companies using SMS for One-Time Passwords (OTPs), notifications, alerts, marketing, promotional messages, order updates, or any other customer-facing A2P SMS communications.
How can companies change to Direct Model?
Companies using A2P who wish to switch to the Direct Model should contact their licensed telecommunications service provider (such as e& or du), complete the transition process, and review any third-party contractual arrangements.
All parties must review their service submission process and complete the transition to the direct-to-bill model within the specified period to ensure uninterrupted service.
Who does this apply to?
The switch to the Direct Model SMS applies to government entities, companies, banks, financial institutions, e-commerce businesses, healthcare providers, logistics companies, and any entity using SMS to communicate with customers.
Source: Khaleej Times