Understanding failed messages

A Failed message status means that your SMS was not delivered to the recipient. The message did not reach their device and may need to be resent once the underlying issue is resolved. This article explains the most common reasons why SMS messages fail to send or receive and helps answer questions such as why a message was not delivered or why errors appear on sent messages.

Common failed message reasons

1. You may have reached your sending limit for the month - if you receive the delivery status code 301 you will need to raise a customer support ticket to arrange to have us increase the sending limit (subject to an approval process).
2. Incorrect or invalid phone number - the SMS may not be sent due to an incorrect or invalid number. This could be related to the registration details or the mobile number format.  

   • The recommended format for mobile numbers is to include the international prefix (dial code) and no non-numerical characters such as brackets:

     Correct: +61412345678 

     Incorrect: (0061) 0412 345 678

   • If your numbers are correctly formatted, the number may be invalid, the recipient might have blocked the sender ID, or there could be carrier issues affecting message delivery. Contact customer support for further help.
3. The destination country for the message has restrictions. If international sending is included in your subscription, please check with customer support to make sure the destination country has no restrictions and your account is set up correctly. 
4. Sender ID restrictions - messages sent from short codes, long codes, or disallowed sender IDs may fail to deliver if the destination country has regulations against them.
5. The recipient has blocked messages or uses a DND (Do Not Disturb) service.
6. The message violates content restrictions (spam filters, etc.)
7. The recipient's phone is switched off or out of service.
8. Network or carrier problems.

Understanding Failed status via Detailed Reports

To learn more about the failed messages, navigate to Reports > Detailed Reports. In the column selector, check Reason Code and Reason Description to get more details about the rejected message. You can also visit the Delivery Status Codes for additional information.