Twilio-Claro SMS Delays: What Colombian Businesses Need to Know Right Now
If your Colombian customers aren't getting their SMS messages on time, you're not alone. We're tracking a significant service disruption between Twilio's infrastructure and Claro Colombia's network that's affecting millions of users and thousands of businesses across the country.
The Technical Breakdown
Here's what's happening under the hood. According to the Twilio System Status Page, SMS delivery latency to Claro Colombia has increased to 3-5 minutes during the incident, compared to a normal latency of under 10 seconds. For businesses running time-sensitive operations, that's the difference between a completed transaction and an abandoned cart.
The issue sits somewhere in the complex routing chain. Telecoms.com explains that SMS routing generally proceeds from a platform like Twilio through regional aggregators and then to the carrier's SMSC gateways. When any link in this chain experiences congestion or configuration issues, the entire flow backs up.
This isn't an isolated incident. According to a GSMA Intelligence report and internal monitoring data, SMS delivery issues between international providers and Colombian carriers increased by 40% in 2025 and are projected to increase by another 15% in 2026. The infrastructure strain is real, and it's getting worse.
Who's Getting Hit Hardest
Statista reports that Claro held approximately 30% of the Colombian mobile subscriber market share as of Q3 2025. That's roughly 20 million subscribers potentially affected by these delays.
Social media and app store reviews indicate that OTP delivery and appointment reminders are significantly impacted, causing user frustration and potential revenue loss for businesses. We're seeing the most severe impacts in:
- Banking and fintech applications requiring two-factor authentication
- E-commerce platforms with SMS order confirmations
- Healthcare providers sending appointment reminders
- Delivery services providing real-time updates
Mitigation Strategies That Actually Work
Waiting for Twilio and Claro to resolve their issues isn't a strategy. Here's what smart teams are doing right now:
Implement multi-channel redundancy. If SMS fails, automatically fallback to WhatsApp Business API, email, or push notifications. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Add intelligent retry logic. Set up exponential backoff for SMS delivery attempts. If the first attempt fails, wait 30 seconds, then 60, then 120. This prevents overwhelming already-strained systems. Communicate proactively. Add a banner to your app or website acknowledging the issue. Users appreciate transparency more than silence. Something simple: "We're experiencing SMS delays with some Colombian carriers. Your messages may arrive 3-5 minutes late." Monitor and measure. Track your SMS delivery rates by carrier. If Claro's showing consistent problems, you need data to make informed decisions about alternative providers or communication methods.Looking Forward
While Twilio's status page indicates they're in "monitoring" phase, that doesn't mean the problem is solved. It means they're watching to ensure stability before declaring victory.
Colombian businesses can't afford to wait. The telecommunications infrastructure challenges in the region aren't going away anytime soon. Build redundancy now, not after your next incident.
The Bottom Line
This Twilio-Claro disruption is a wake-up call. SMS remains critical infrastructure for Colombian businesses, but it's not infallible. Smart organizations will use this incident as a catalyst to build more resilient communication systems. Those who don't will find themselves explaining to customers why their messages disappeared into the void during the next inevitable disruption.