São Tomé and Príncipe WhatsApp Age and Gender Screening how to filter?

The core process of the WhatsApp Number Checking in São Tomé and Príncipe (239) is to convert the 7-digit local mobile numbers (usually starting with 9) into the international format 2399XXXXXX, then submit the number pool through platforms like AppShai AppShai, perform “screening open” and “screening active” tests, and finally keep the accessible number as it returns to the return state. Below is a breakdown of the number format rules and specific operations.

The number structure and area codes

The telephone system in São Tomé and Príncipe is planned according to ITU numbers, and understanding the local number structure is the first step in screening.

Project	Explanation
International area code	+239
Local number length	7-digit numbers
Mobile phone number	Usually starts with 9 (local format 9XXXXXX)
Landline phones	Mainly starts with 2
International format	239 9XXXXXXX (11 digits in total, including area code)
Local format	9XXXXXX

Numbers in São Tomé and Príncipe do not have a region code similar to Brazil’s DDD; local calls use a 7-digit number, while international calls require adding 239. For example, the mobile number 9012345 is written in international format as 2399012345, and displayed as 239 90 12345.

Operator Overview

The verifiable operator information is as follows:

• CST（Companhia Santomense de Telecomunicações）: A historically state-owned dominant operator, operating both fixed and mobile businesses.
• Unitel STP (a related brand formerly including Africa Telecom): A mobile operator funded by Unitel, which has entered the local mobile market in recent years.

The exact correspondence between specific number ranges (such as 90, 91, 95, 98, etc.) and carriers is not yet fully publicly available. In practice, WhatsApp can be used to uniformly check the entire 9-digit number range, without distinguishing between carriers.

Standardized number processing

The formats for numbers from different sources are diverse and must be standardized before submission for testing. Unified rules:Only 11-digit pure numbers starting with 239 and followed by 7 digits are retained。

Original input	After standardization	Explanation
9012345	+2399012345	Local format, add the area code
+239 90 12345	+2399012345	Remove the spaces
002399012345	+2399012345	The international dialing prefix 00 is replaced
90-123-45	+2399012345	Remove the short horizontal lines
2399012345	+2399012345	Supplement the number

When standardizing, note: if the number has fewer than 7 or more digits, it is likely an input error. Clean before checking; Do not mix landline phones (starting with 2) with mobile numbers in the same “screening and activation” task.

AppShai AppShai filtering operation steps

1. Organize the number files: Place a column of numbers in Excel/CSV/TXT, which can include a table header.
2. Standardization: Unified into an 11-digit international format starting with 239.
3. Upload the number pool: Go to the AppShai AppShai platform, create a new filtering task, and upload the file.
4. Choose a platform: Choose WhatsApp.
5. Select the type of detection: Select “Screen Open” or “Screen Active” (can be stacked) as needed.
6. Submit and export: Wait for the task to finish, export the CSV results, and filter by status.

The difference between open sieve and active sieve

These two functions are often used interchangeably, but their actual meanings differ:

• Screening and opening: Check if the phone number is registered on WhatsApp. Once registered, it returns to “Activated”; if not registered, it returns to “Not Activated”.
• The sieve is active: Based on activation, further check whether the number has recently been online on WhatsApp (the platform usually returns the last online time or activity range).

Only by using both together can you determine that the number not only “exists” but also “reachable.”

Explanation of the results

Return to status	Meaning	Reach recommendations
Activated: Active	Registered and recently online	Priority reach has the highest conversion rate
Activated Inactive	Registered but not online for a long time	You can try to reach them while preparing for secondary verification
Not yet opened	The number was not registered on WhatsApp	Eliminate and do not invest in outreach resources

Field names may vary slightly between platforms (e.g., “Number Status,” “Last Online Time,” “Active Level”), so the actual output column names from AppShai AppShai are the standard. After exporting, it is recommended to double-filter the “Enabled” and “Active” fields in Excel before assigning them to the business team.

Common mistakes

1. If you omit 239, submit a number starting with 9 directly:Numbers starting with 9 exist in many countries, and the system may mistakenly identify them as numbers from other countries.
2. Treat landlines like mobile phones:2 Numbers starting with the same name rarely register WhatsApp, so the test result is most likely not activated, wasting the test amount.
3. The number digits are incorrect:7-digit local numbers are mistakenly written as 8 or 6 digits, and after standardization, they cannot pass verification.
4. Mixing in neighboring country numbers: Countries like Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau have different area codes, so mixing them in one document can cause errors in the package and result standards.
5. Duplicate numbers are not duplicated: If the same number appears multiple times, it will result in repeated charges and reduced efficiency. Deduplicate before submitting.

Local platform usage

WhatsApp works normally in São Tomé and Príncipe, with registration methods consistent worldwide. Official data does not release independent WhatsApp user data for the country, but considering the overall communication habits of Portuguese-speaking regions in Africa, WhatsApp is one of the common instant messaging channels locally. In practice, the activation rate of São Tomé and Príncipe numbers is lower than in major Portuguese-speaking countries like Brazil and Angola. This is an objective situation for number resource pools, and it is recommended to relax the quantity expectation when filtering.

Compliance Considerations

• Only numbers legally held or authorized by users will be processed; unauthorized collection of personal data is prohibited.
• The screening results are used for normal business communication; do not bulk send spam messages or conduct high-frequency bombing, or WhatsApp’s anti-spam mechanism will be triggered.
• São Tomé and Príncipe has enacted laws related to personal data protection, requiring legal grounds for processing personal number data. Cross-border business teams are advised to consult local legal opinions in advance.
• The “Activated/Active” returned by the detection tool is only a reference for the number status and does not provide a complete picture of user behavior.

Reference for relevant country area codes

São Tomé and Príncipe is part of the Portuguese-speaking region of Africa and is often operated by cross-border teams with the following countries, but each country has different area codes and numbering rules, so they must be handled separately:

Country	International area code
São Tomé and Príncipe	+239
Cape Buddha	+238
Guinea-Bissau	+245
Angola	+244
Mozambique	+258
Equatorial Guinea	+240

The official language of these six countries is Portuguese or contains Portuguese, but there are significant differences in number length and number band planning, so do not apply the same rules in bulk. For example, Cape Verde’s local numbers have 7 digits, while Angola and Mozambique have 9 digits. Mixing them will cause many numbers to be rejected by the system.

If you are processing number data from São Tomé and Príncipe or other Portuguese-speaking countries, you can perform multi-dimensional filtering by country, area code, activation status, and active status in AppShai AppShai. The system supports number verification for 220 countries and regions.

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