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Guide 01 of 08 · Operators
AvailableSMS

Sending SMS to Greece via an international gateway: correct routing, alphanumeric sender ID and STOP

4notify delivers SMS to Greek (+30) numbers through a tier-1 international A2P gateway, which then interconnects with Cosmote, Vodafone Greece and Nova. We do not hold direct peering with the three operators — and that is a deliberate choice: an international gateway gives unified billing, HLR-level delivery tracing and alphanumeric sender ID support without requiring a local Greek legal presence.

Problem

Many platforms route Greek SMS through a tier-2 European aggregator. The result: the alphanumeric sender ID is dropped (recipients see only an international number), delivery falls below 90% and STOP replies never make it back to the platform. Meanwhile, EETT requires the sender — even an international one — to honour STOP/HELP, record consent and (for marketing) respect the 11888 Consumer Ombudsman do-not-call register.

Legal framework
Ν. 3471/2006 άρθρο 11 (eCommunications)

Marketing SMS requires prior consent; soft opt-in available for existing customers on related products. Opt-out must be free and immediate.

EETT — Κανονισμός Παροχής Υπηρεσιών Ηλεκτρονικών Επικοινωνιών

Alphanumeric sender IDs permitted; abusive use (spoofing well-known trademarks) is sanctioned with suspension.

Μητρώο 11888 — Συνήγορος του Καταναλωτή

Numbers on the 11888 do-not-call register are excluded from marketing SMS/calls. Senders must screen against the list or prove active explicit consent.

Architecture
01

Tier-1 international A2P gateway

SMS are routed through a tier-1 premium service, never a grey route. This guarantees transparent pricing, real DLR and preservation of the sender ID across the three Greek mobile networks.

02

Alphanumeric sender ID

Up to 11 characters (e.g. „YourBrand“). Registered once with the gateway alongside trademark/commercial-use proof; Cosmote / Vodafone GR / Nova whitelist within 2–5 working days.

03

Automated STOP handling

The gateway returns inbound MO when a recipient replies STOP. 4notify unsubscribes the number from all future campaigns and confirms back to the client via webhook.

04

Status callback with reason code

Each SMS triggers a signed webhook with DELIVERED / FAILED / UNDELIVERABLE status and reason code (e.g. „number out of service“, „handset blocked“, „blocked by 11888 register“).

Code
bash
curl -X POST https://api.4notify.net/v1/dispatch \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "channel": "sms",
    "sender": "YourBrand",
    "recipient": "+306987123456",
    "body": "Η παραγγελία σας 2026-GR-0481 είναι έτοιμη για παραλαβή στη Σταδίου 28, Αθήνα. Ανοιχτά έως 20:00. STOP για διαγραφή.",
    "metadata": { "campaign": "pickup_ready", "country": "gr", "routing": "international_a2p" }
  }'
Sample message
SMS

YourBrand: Order 2026-GR-0481 is ready for pickup at Stadiou 28, Athens. Open until 20:00. STOP to unsubscribe.

Before launch
  • Register alphanumeric sender ID with the gateway along with documentation
  • Enable STOP/HELP keywords (Greek + English)
  • Test delivery to Cosmote / Vodafone GR / Nova numbers
  • Wire status callback into internal CRM
  • Screen against 11888 register for marketing campaigns
  • Record GDPR opt-in (see Guide 03)
What 4notify does differently

Transparent tier-1 routing with per-operator DLR and automatic compliance with EETT and the 11888 register — without needing a local legal presence.

FAQ
What is the average delivery latency in Greece?

P50 latency from dispatch to operator ACK is 2.2 s on Cosmote, 2.5 s on Vodafone GR, 2.8 s on Nova. The dashboard shows live per-operator statistics.

Why an international gateway instead of direct peering?

Direct peering requires a Greek legal presence and a minimum monthly volume commitment. A tier-1 international gateway delivers equivalent quality without those constraints and enables unified European billing.

Is the alphanumeric sender ID preserved on ported numbers?

Yes. The gateway performs an HLR lookup before each dispatch and routes to the recipient's current network, preserving the sender ID.

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