To help prevent alert fatigue and comply with WhatsApp messaging limits, Dotcom-Monitor limits the number of WhatsApp alert notifications sent to each configured WhatsApp delivery address.

Notification Limit

Each WhatsApp delivery address can receive up to 5 alert notifications per hour.

The limit is shared across all monitoring devices sending alerts to the same WhatsApp delivery address. Every repeated alert with the same status (for example, Down) from any device counts toward this shared hourly limit. When the 5-alert limit is reached, additional notifications with the same status are suppressed until the hourly limit resets.

The limit controls only repeated notifications while continuing to deliver notifications that indicate a device has changed state.

See also: Device States Explained

What Happens When the Limit Is Reached?

After a WhatsApp delivery address receives five repeated notifications within one hour, Dotcom-Monitor suppresses duplicate notifications for the same status and sends the following message to WhatsApp:

“You have reached the maximum number of WhatsApp alerts allowed per hour for this WhatsApp number. To help prevent alert fatigue and avoid potential WhatsApp delivery restrictions, no additional WhatsApp alert messages will be sent for the next hour. Alerts configured for other notification channels will continue to be delivered as usual.”

This prevents WhatsApp from being flooded with ongoing outage reminders while preserving visibility into new events.

Notifications for status changes are always delivered immediately, including:

  • Up → Down
  • Down → Up

This ensures responders receive notifications when an incident begins and when service is restored.

How the Limit Works

  • Device A and Device B become Down and begin sending repeated Down notifications.
  • Each repeated Down notification from either device counts toward the same WhatsApp limit.
  • After five repeated Down notifications have been delivered, Dotcom-Monitor stops sending additional Down alert notifications from Device A and Device B using that WhatsApp delivery address.
  • While repeated Down notifications are being suppressed, Device C changes from Up to Down.
  • The Down notification for Device C is delivered immediately because it signals a new status change.
  • Device A, Device B, and Device C do not send additional repeated Down notifications until the one-hour limit resets.
  • After one hour, repeated Down notifications resume and continue until the five-notification limit is reached again.
  • When Device A, Device B, or Device C changes from Down to Up, the recovery notification is delivered immediately.