Short Message Service:China Mobile's controls on SMS template registration and referral information

Dear Alibaba Cloud SMS users,

According to China Mobile's latest policies, starting July 10, 2025 (UTC+8), China Mobile is expected to implement new control measures on SMS messages containing referral information, such as URLs and contact information. After the new policies take effect, unregistered SMS templates that include referral information will be at risk of being blocked.

Solution:

To ensure business stability, Alibaba Cloud is autonomously submitting registrations for your recently used templates that include referral information. However, there are still impacts that require your attention:

1. Following China Telecom and China Unicom, China Mobile also steps up control on templates that contain referral information. We recommend that you avoid such information, including URLs and contact information, in your SMS content.

2. Due to limitations in the carrier's system capabilities, policy changes, and other factors, the platform cannot obtain template registration results from carriers. After the new policies take effect, regardless of whether template registrations are submitted, your SMS delivery may be blocked. More severely, carriers may shut down the sub-ports or main ports, resulting in failures of batch SMS sending.

Alibaba Cloud will continue to follow up and provide timely updates. We also kindly request that you prepare relevant response measures in advance.

Other relevant announcements:

• [June 25, 2025] China Unicom's controls on SMS template registration and referral information

• [May 27, 2025] Requirement for SMS template registration by China Telecom

• [May 20, 2025] China Telecom restrictions on SMS content containing URLs, IP addresses, and contact information

FAQ:

1. Do all three major carriers in China implement control measures on referral information?

   Yes, China Telecom, China Unicom, and China Mobile have all clearly stated control measures on SMS messages that include referral information. These messages may be blocked by all three carriers.

2. When does the policy take effect?

   Based on the current information, China Mobile plans to implement the new policies on July 10, 2025 (UTC+8). However, the actual enforcement intensity and timing depend on the carrier's actual implementation on the provincial level.

3. How do I submit referral information to the carrier for review and approval?

   Alibaba Cloud is sorting referral information in SMS templates. All templates that comply with carrier requirements will be submitted to the carrier for review. However, due to limitations in carrier system capabilities and the absence of mechanisms to query registration results or track progress, we cannot guarantee the effectiveness of submissions.

4. What are China Mobile's requirements for referral information?

   According to the notification received by Alibaba Cloud, China Mobile defines referral information as landline phone numbers, special service numbers, and URLs in SMS content. Currently, China Mobile allows each sub-port to support a maximum of two landline phone numbers (including special service numbers) and one fixed URL.