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Guide 02 of 08 · Carriers
AvailableSMSWhatsApp

Mobile carriers in Greece: Cosmote, Vodafone Greece and Nova — what it means for delivery

The Greek mobile market consolidated in 2022–2023 with the Wind + Nova merger under United Group. Today the three networks are Cosmote (OTE group, ~46% share), Vodafone Greece (~30%) and Nova (~24%). All sit under EETT oversight and the same rules but differ noticeably in SMS delivery speed, alphanumeric sender ID acceptance and WhatsApp Business handling.

Problem

A "one-size-fits-all" solution that does not distinguish the three Greek networks produces opaque failures: e.g. SMS marked „delivered" at gateway level but blocked by Cosmote's 11888 anti-spam filter. Without per-operator visibility, root cause is invisible.

Legal framework
EETT — Απόφαση 991/4/2022

Sets carrier obligations for bulk SMS traceability: carriers must identify the original sender and allow unsubscribe.

Ν. 4070/2012 (Ηλεκτρονικές Επικοινωνίες)

EETT oversight framework for all carriers; covers premium SMS price transparency and numbering plan.

Cosmote / Vodafone GR / Nova — Acceptable Use Policies

Each network publishes its A2P Acceptable Use Policy: e.g. gambling SMS prohibited without specific licence, double opt-in for adult content.

Architecture
01

Recipient network detection

Before dispatch, an HLR lookup classifies the recipient as Cosmote / Vodafone GR / Nova. The dashboard exposes a per-operator funnel.

02

Portability handling

Greek number portability exceeds 38%. 4notify refreshes HLR every 12 hours for live campaigns to avoid reporting „delivered" on a number that has moved.

03

Differential routing

Some delivery flows (e.g. transactional OTP) are preferentially routed through the premium channel that preserves the alphanumeric sender ID; marketing can fall to standard rate.

04

WhatsApp Business per-operator

Cosmote has the highest WhatsApp penetration (~71%), Vodafone GR ~68%, Nova ~62%. 4notify performs SMS→WhatsApp fallback per recipient capability profile.

Code
json
{
  "event": "sms.dispatch_completed",
  "id": "msg_2026_gr_0481",
  "recipient": "+306987123456",
  "hlr": {
    "network": "Cosmote",
    "ported_from": "Vodafone GR",
    "ported_at": "2025-11-14T08:22:00Z"
  },
  "status": "DELIVERED",
  "operator_latency_ms": 2180,
  "sender_id_preserved": true
}
Sample message
SMS

YourBrand: Confirmation code 738142. Valid for 5 minutes. STOP to unsubscribe.

Before launch
  • Enable per-operator dashboard in 4notify console
  • Confirm sender ID acceptance on all three networks
  • Run OTP latency test on Cosmote / Vodafone GR / Nova
  • Configure WhatsApp fallback rule based on per-operator coverage
  • Align campaign with Cosmote/Vodafone/Nova AUPs
What 4notify does differently

Unified transparency across all three Greek networks: per-operator funnel, HLR refresh and WhatsApp fallback profile — without needing to know which network each number belongs to.

FAQ
Are there per-operator cost differences?

On the surface no — the international gateway provides a unified EU price. Underneath, Cosmote has the highest interconnection cost; this is absorbed by the gateway.

What about MVNOs (e.g. CYTA Hellas, Q Telecom)?

They route via their host network: CYTA Hellas → Vodafone GR, Q → Cosmote. The dashboard shows the underlying network.

How is market share tracked live?

4notify does not publish live market share — we reference quarterly EETT figures. The dashboard shows your own recipient mix.

Start free

14 days, no card. Greek-language support.

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