Internet outages in Russia drive surge in SMS advertising
As mobile internet outages spread across Russia, advertisers began turning more frequently to promotional SMS campaigns, carriers told the Russian business daily Kommersant.
Internet outages in Russia drive surge in SMS advertising Mobile internet outages in Russia have led to an increase in promotional SMS campaigns, with carriers like MegaFon and MTS observing significant growth in April 2026. Retail, finance, and apparel sectors were particularly active in SMS advertising. Despite this trend, some advertising market participants have not seen the surge, noting that rising costs cause businesses to use SMS selectively for urgent messages and short promotions.
- Mobile internet outages across Russia are increasing the use of promotional SMS campaigns.
- MegaFon saw a 37% rise in promotional SMS messages and a 20% increase in advertising budgets in April 2026.
- Retail, financial, and apparel sectors are the most active buyers of SMS advertising.
- MTS also reported strong growth in SMS advertising activity in April, with Moscow and the Central region showing the highest volume.
- Some advertising market participants have not observed a surge in demand due to rising costs, leading to selective SMS use.
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