Terms of Service

Effective Date: March 31, 2026

By accessing or using Emess, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. Please read them carefully.

1. Description of Service

Emess provides an SMS gateway service in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our service allows users to send messages via local network operators using approved templates.

2. Message Templates & Content Approval

To maintain the integrity of our network and prevent spam:

  • Mandatory Templates: Users must use pre-approved message templates.
  • Manual Review: Any new templates submitted by the user are subject to manual review and approval by Emess administrators.
  • Prohibited Use: You agree not to use Emess to send fraudulent, harassing, or illegal content. We reserve the right to reject any template that violates our internal safety guidelines or local DRC regulations.

3. Privacy & Data Access

Your use of the service is also governed by our Privacy Policy. You acknowledge that:

  • Admin Access: For the purpose of template validation and security, Emess administrators may review message content.
  • Google Data: We use your Google profile data (email/name) strictly for authentication as detailed in our Privacy Policy.

4. Limitation of Liability

Emess acts as an intermediary between the user and mobile network operators.

  • Delivery: We do not guarantee 100% delivery of SMS as this depends on external telecommunications infrastructure in the DRC.
  • Service Interruptions: Emess is not liable for any losses resulting from carrier outages, network congestion, or hardware failures beyond our control.

5. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account immediately, without notice, if you violate these terms, attempt to bypass our security filters, or engage in unauthorized messaging activities.

6. Prohibited Content & Usage

To ensure compliance with local regulations and carrier policies, the following are strictly prohibited on Emess:

  • Suspicious Content: Gambling advertisements, phishing attempts, or fraudulent schemes.
  • Harassment: Messages that are insulting, defamatory, or abusive in nature.
  • Restricted Content: Adult/pornographic content, political campaigning, and religious proselytizing are not permitted.
  • Bypassing Filters: Any attempt to circumvent the template approval system will result in an immediate and permanent account ban.

7. Billing, Tokens, and Refunds

  • Tokens: Users must purchase "Tokens" to send messages. Each token has a predetermined cost as displayed in the app.
  • Expiration: Tokens are subject to an expiry period. It is the user's responsibility to use tokens before they expire.
  • Refund Policy: * Internal Failures: If a message fails to leave the Emess ecosystem within 30 minutes of the send request, the tokens used for that message will be automatically refunded to your account.
    • Carrier Failures: Once a message is successfully handed over to a network operator (e.g., Vodacom, Airtel), no refunds will be issued, regardless of whether the carrier successfully delivers the SMS to the final recipient.