Delivery Failure and SMS Error Codes

Have you ever wondered what happens when your text message marketing solution sends out texts to your target audience? Assuming you encounter no problems, the texts are coded within the system as "queued” until they have been sent which changes their code to "sent”. When a recipient receives the message, it will be coded as "delivered”. If there are any problems delivering the SMS text message an error code will be created. We’ve created the table below to help you decipher the SMS error codes you may encounter and what they mean.

If you have any questions then feel free to contact us and we will gladly help you address any issues you may be encountering with your text message marketing campaign or solution.

Table of Contents

SMS Error Codes

When sending SMS messages, various delivery failure codes may arise due to issues like network errors or handset availability. Understanding these error codes helps in troubleshooting delivery problems and optimizing future messaging campaigns. Addressing issues like routing errors or memory capacity limits ensures higher delivery success rates for your SMS notifications.

Error	Error Class	Description	Comment	Treated As
0	NO ERROR	No error / Unknown error		Temporary
1	ROUTING ERROR	Routing error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
2	ROUTING ERROR	Routing error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
3	ROUTING ERROR	Routing error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
4	ROUTING ERROR	Routing error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
5	ROUTING ERROR	Routing error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
6	ROUTING ERROR	Routing error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
7	ROUTING ERROR	Routing error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
8	ROUTING ERROR	Routing error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
9	ROUTING ERROR	Unsupported number plan		Permanent
10	ROUTING ERROR	Unsupported type of number		Permanent
11	ROUTING ERROR	Message not deliver		Permanent
12	ROUTING ERROR	Dialling zone not found		Permanent
13	ROUTING ERROR	Not home zone and IMSI not allowed		Permanent
14	ROUTING ERROR	Not home zone and IMSI fetch failed		Temporary
15	SCREENING ERROR	Screening block		Permanent
16	SCREENING ERROR	Terminating IMSI blocked		Permanent
17	ROUTING ERROR	Destination network type unknown		Permanent
18	ESME ERROR	ESME error		Temporary
19	SCREENING ERROR	Originating location mismatch		Permanent
21	Facility Not Supported	Rejection due to subscription not supporting SMS		Temporary
27	Absent Subscriber	Subscriber handset is not logged onto the network due to it being turned off or out of coverage, likely to have been unavailable for 12 hours or more		Temporary
28	Absent subscriber no-pageresponse	Subscriber handset is not reachable on the network due to it being turned off or out of coverage, likely to have very recently become unavailable		Temporary
29	Absent subscriber IMSI-detached	Subscriber handset is not reachable on the network due to it being turned off or out of coverage, likely to have been unavailable for several hours		Temporary
30	Controlling MSC Failure	The MSC that the subscriber is currently registered to is experiencing a fault		Temporary
31	Subscriber Busy For MT-SM	MSC is busy handling an exisiting transaction with the handset, the subscriber could be currently receiving an SMS at exactly the same time		Temporary
32	Equipment notSMEquipped	Recieving handset or equipment does not support SMS or an SMS feature, this is temporary because the subscriber could switch to a different device		Temporary
33	Memory Capacity Exceeded	Rejection due to subscriber handset not having the memory capacity to recieve the message, likely to have been in state for 12 hours or more		Temporary
34	System Failure	Rejection due to SS7 protocol or network failure		Temporary
35	Data Missing	Rejection due to subscriber network decoding error or signalling fault		Temporary
36	Unexpected Data Value	Rejection due to subscriber network decoding error or signalling fault		Temporary
37	System Failure	Rejection due to SS7 protocol or network failure		Temporary
38	Data Missing	Rejection due to subscriber network decoding error or signaling fault		Temporary
39	Unexpected Data Value	Rejection due to subscriber network decoding error or signaling fault		Temporary
40	INTERNAL ERROR	Error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
50	INTERNAL ERROR	Error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
51	INTERNAL ERROR	Error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
52	INTERNAL ERROR	Error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
53	INTERNAL ERROR	Error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
54	INTERNAL ERROR	Error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
55	INTERNAL ERROR	Error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
56	INTERNAL ERROR	Error with gateway provider	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
60	SCREENING ERROR	Error, originator blocked		Permanent
61	SCREENING ERROR	Error, destination blocked		Permanent
62	SCREENING ERROR	Error, keyword blocked		Permanent
63	SCREENING ERROR	Error, SC address blocked		Permanent
64	SCREENING ERROR	Error, blocked due to exceeded quota		Permanent
65	SCREENING ERROR	Error, loop detected		Permanent
66	SCREENING ERROR	Error, data coding scheme blocked		Permanent
67	SCREENING ERROR	Error, information element identifier blocked		Permanent
69	Generic delivery failure	Generic delivery failure		Permanent
70	ESME ERROR	Internal error	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
71	ESME ERROR	Internal error	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
72	ESME ERROR	Internal error	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
73	ESME ERROR	Internal error	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
74	ESME ERROR	Internal error	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
75	ESME ERROR	Internal error	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
76	ESME ERROR	Internal error	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
77	ESME ERROR	IMSI lookup blocked		Permanent
100	SMSC ERROR	Unidentified Subscriber		Permanent
101	SMSC ERROR	Facility not supported		Temporary
102	SMSC ERROR	System failure		Temporary
103	SMSC ERROR	Unexpected data value		Permanent
104	SMSC ERROR	Data missing		Permanent
105	SMSC ERROR	Equipment protocol error		Permanent
106	SMSC ERROR	Unknown service centre address		Temporary
107	SMSC ERROR	Service centre congestion		Temporary
108	SMSC ERROR	Invalid short message entity address		Permanent
109	SMSC ERROR	Subscriber not service centre subscriber		Temporary
110	SMSC ERROR	Reject	Indicates temporary problem or lost reach	Permanent
111	SMSC ERROR	Local Cancel	Indicates temporary problem or lost reach	Temporary
112	SMSC ERROR	Abort	Indicates temporary problem or lost reach	Temporary
113	SMSC ERROR	Exception (internal)	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
114	SMSC ERROR	Unknown error		Temporary
140	SS7 Communication Error	Internal SMSC error due to invalid message syntax		Temporary
150	HLR ERROR	Unknown subscriber	Message is rejected because there is no directory number for the mobile subscriber	Permanent
151	HLR ERROR	Call barred	Message is rejected due to barring of the MS	Permanent
152	HLR ERROR	Teleservice not provisioned	Message is rejected because the recipient MS has no SMS subscription	Permanent
153	HLR ERROR	Absent subscriber		Temporary
154	HLR ERROR	Facility not supported	The message is rejected due to no provision of the SMS in the VPLMN	Permanent
155	HLR ERROR	System failure	Message rejected due to network or protocol failure	Temporary
156	HLR ERROR	Unexpected data value		Permanent
157	HLR ERROR	Data missing		Permanent
158	HLR ERROR	Memory capacity exceeded	Message rejected because the MS doesn’t have enough memory	Temporary
159	HLR ERROR	Mobile subscriber not reachable		Temporary
160	HLR ERROR	Reject	Indicates temporary problem or lost reach	Permanent
161	HLR ERROR	Local Cancel	Indicates temporary problem or lost reach	Temporary
162	HLR ERROR	Abort	Indicates temporary problem or lost reach	Temporary
163	HLR ERROR	Exception (internal)	Report to Pocketstop (Local error)	Permanent
164	HLR ERROR	Unknown error		Temporary
200	MSC ERROR	Unidentified subscriber		Temporary
201	MSC ERROR	Absent subscriber, IMSI detached	Subscriber is absent and have been for a period of time	Temporary
202	MSC ERROR	Absent subscriber, no page response	The message is rejected because there was no paging response	Temporary
203	MSC ERROR	Subscriber busy for MT SMS	The message is rejected because of congestion encountered at the visited MSC	Temporary
204	MSC ERROR	Facility not supported	The message is rejected due to no provision of the SMS in the destination SIM	Permanent
205	MSC ERROR	Illegal subscriber	Message rejected because of failed authentication	Permanent
206	MSC ERROR	Illegal equipment	Message rejected because the MS was black-listed	Permanent
207	MSC ERROR	System failure	Message rejected due to network or protocol failure	Temporary
208	MSC ERROR	Unexpected data value		Permanent
209	MSC ERROR	Data missing		Permanent
210	MSC ERROR	Memory capacity exceeded	Message rejected because the MS doesn’t have enough memory	Temporary
211	MSC ERROR	Equipment protocol error		Temporary
212	MSC ERROR	Equipment not short message equipped		Temporary
213	MSC ERROR	Reject	Indicates temporary problem or lost reach	Permanent
214	MSC ERROR	Local Cancel	Indicates temporary problem or lost reach	Temporary
215	MSC ERROR	Abort	Indicates temporary problem or lost reach	Temporary
216	MSC ERROR	Exception (internal)	Report to Pocketstop	Permanent
217	MSC ERROR	Unknown error		Temporary
250	SCREENING ERROR	Error, personal service barring, MO Personal	Determined Barring White List	Permanent
251	SCREENING ERROR	Error, personal service barring, MO Personal	Determined Barring Black List	Permanent
252	SCREENING ERROR	Error, personal service barring, MO Operator	Determined Barring White List	Permanent
253	SCREENING ERROR	Error, personal service barring, MO Operator	Determined Barring Black List	Permanent
254	SCREENING ERROR	Error, personal service barring, MT Personal	Determined Barring White List	Permanent
255	SCREENING ERROR	Error, personal service barring, MT Personal	Determined Barring Black List	Permanent
256	SCREENING ERROR	Error, personal service barring, MT Operator	Determined Barring White List	Permanent
257	SCREENING ERROR	Error, personal service barring, MT Operator	Determined Barring Black List	Permanent
300	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid destination address		Permanent
301	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid destination numbering plan		Permanent
302	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid destination type of number		Permanent
303	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid destination flag		Permanent
304	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid number of destinations		Permanent
305	Carrier Routing Error	SMSC partner cannot route this message and it will not be retried		Permanent
310	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid source address		Permanent
311	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid source numbering plan		Permanent
312	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid source type of number		Permanent
320	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	ESME Receiver permanent error		Permanent
321	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	ESME Receiver reject error		Permanent
322	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	ESME Receiver temporary error
330	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid command length		Permanent
331	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid service type		Permanent
332	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid operation		Permanent
333	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Operation not allowed		Permanent
334	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid parameter		Permanent
335	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Parameter not allowed		Permanent
336	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid parameter length		Permanent
337	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid optional parameter		Permanent
338	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Optional parameter missing		Permanent
339	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid validity parameter		Permanent
340	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid scheduled delivery parameter		Permanent
341	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid distribution list		Permanent
342	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid message class		Permanent
343	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid message length		Permanent
344	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid message reference		Permanent
345	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid number of messages		Permanent
346	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid predefined message		Permanent
347	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid priority		Permanent
348	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid replace flag		Permanent
349	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Request failed		Permanent
350	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Invalid delivery report request		Temporary
360	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Message queue full		Temporary
361	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	External error	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
362	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	External error	Report to Pocketstop	Temporary
370	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Cannot find information		Temporary
399	ESME EXTERNAL ERROR	Unknown		Temporary
400	Queued	Queued	Message is queued within REST API system and will be dispatched according to the rate of the account
401	Dispatched	Dispatched	Message has been dispatched to SMSC
402	Message unroutable	Aborted	SMSC rejected message, retrying is likely to cause the same error
403	Internal error	Aborted	An unexpected error caused the message to fail
404	Temporary delivery failure	Aborted	Message failed because of temporary delivery failure, message can be retried
405	Unmatched Parameter	Aborted	ne or more parameters in the message body has no mapping for this recipient, see Parameterization
406	Internal Expiry	Aborted	Message was expired before reaching SMSC, this may happen if the expiry time for the message was very short
407	Canceled	Aborted	Message was canceled by user before reaching SMSC
408	Internal Reject	Aborted	SMSC rejected the message, retrying is likely to cause the same error
410	Unmatched default originator	Aborted	No default originator exists/configured for this recipient when sending message without originator
411	Exceeded parts limit	Aborted	Message failed as the number of message parts exceeds the defined max number of message parts
412	Unprovisioned region	Aborted	SMSC rejected the message, the account has not been provisioned for this region
999	Congestion	SS7 signalling link at destination network, SMSC, or 3rd party signalling partner is overloaded		Temporary

Terminology

Familiarizing yourself with essential SMS and email communication terminology, such as MSC (Mobile Switching Centre) and SMSC (Short Message Service Centre), ensures better understanding and management of message delivery systems. These terms are critical for resolving technical issues and improving the efficiency of your communication channels.

Term	Definition
MSISND	Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network: the mobile number in international format.
MSC	Mobile Switching Centre: the destination network equipment that receives an SMS (via forward-SM operation) in a destination mobile network.
HLR	Home Location Register: the destination network equipment that returns status and routing information about an MSISDN to the SMSC (via SRI-SM operation).
SMSC	Short Message Service Centre: the equipment belonging to Mblox or one of its carriers that transmits SMS to the destination network via SS7.
SS7	Signalling System 7: the transport protocol that interconnects global GSM networks.
MNP	Mobile Number Portability: the process of a subscriber moving from one mobile network to another, but retaining the same MSISDN.
IMSI	International Mobile Subscriber Identity: a unique identification number which identifies the destination country, actual network, and network subscriber ID.
SUBSCRIBER	The mobile user who has a SIM card.

Email Status Codes

Email status codes provide insights into the success or failure of email transmissions. From indicating a successful send to highlighting issues such as authentication errors or internal server problems, these codes are essential for monitoring the performance of email campaigns and ensuring messages reach their intended recipients efficiently.

Status Code	Description
200	No error
201	Successfully created
204	Successfully deleted
400	Bad request
401	Requires authentication
406	Missing Accept header. example: Accept: application/json
429	Too many requests
500	Internal server error

Email Event Types

Tracking email event types is crucial for analyzing recipient engagement. Events like “Delivered,” “Open,” or “Click” show how well your emails are performing, while others like “Bounce” or “Spam Report” reveal potential issues with delivery or content. By monitoring these events, you can improve your email marketing strategies and enhance user engagement.

Event Type	Description
Processed	This event fires when the email server receives an individual message and prepares it to be delivered. Think of this as the top of the funnel–unless it is dropped (see below), each message you push to the email server will create a processed event.
Dropped	There are a number of reasons your email will not even be sent to a recipient for delivery. This event informs your system when an email has been dropped. Further, it provides a reason for the drop, such as if we’ve found spam content (if spam checker app is enabled) or we see the recipient has unsubscribed previously.
Deferred	When an email cannot immediately be delivered, but it hasn’t been completely rejected, the deferred event fires. Sometimes called a soft bounce, the email server will continue to try for 72 hours to deliver a deferred message
Bounce	If a server cannot or will not deliver a message, it fires a bounce event. Bounces often are caused by outdated or incorrectly entered email addresses. Many times you won’t know a bounced email address until it bounces. This event can help you ensure it doesn’t bounce again by removing it from your lists.
Delivered	When an email has been accepted at the receiving server, the delivered event fires. This event does not guarantee that the email was placed in the recipient’s inbox. In fact, a delivered email is only the beginning of an opaque process. The remaining four events begin to give us hints about whether anyone will ever see this delivered email.
Open	An opened email is the first step toward the action you want your recipient to take. This event fires every time the email is viewed with images turned on. Like all email service providers, SendGrid uses a transparent image beacon to track opened messages. This beacon is currently the only way a sender can tell if an email has been opened.
Click	The pinnacle of email engagement is the click. Your call to action, whether it is to confirm a newly registered account or to view a recommended product, asks the recipient to click a link. SendGrid tracks that interaction and fires a click event.
Spam Report	Most internet service providers provide a feedback loop, sending specific spam complaints to the email service providers. When the email server receives a notice, we fire a spam event, so that you can react appropriately–or at the very least, never send another email to that address.
Unsubscribe	One of the most important events fires when a recipient unsubscribes from your mailings. Reacting immediately to an unsubscribe by removing the email from your lists can pay long term dividends in fewer spam reports and a higher engagement rate.