Common Text Message Error Codes and Ways to Fix Them 2024

In today’s world, where we are mostly connected online, text messages have become a pivotal part of our daily communication. 📲

Nevertheless, the convenience of this method of communication is often disturbed by frustrating mobile text messaging issues that can hinder timely information exchange. 🔄 There are a lot of things that can go wrong with texts, ranging from mysterious text message error codes to messages not delivered. 😵‍💫

To help you with error text messages, we have compiled this blog, where we will discuss types of text error messages, text message error codes, and potential solutions to help you resolve the complexities of SMS communication. 🤝

What are Text Message Errors? 

Text message errors are issues that occur when SMS messages fail to deliver, often accompanied by cryptic error codes. Generally, when you text a message but receive a text message error code, this is what is identified as the particular issue preventing your message from reaching its destination.

Usually, text message errors comprise a code explaining why the message-sending process failed. These codes are crucial for identifying the underlying issue. Most providers maintain unique error codes for different messaging problems. 

Still, the most commonly used text message error codes are standardized and known worldwide. 

Types of Text Message Errors 

When you send a text message to someone, you might face message not delivered errors for various reasons. These text message error types are generally similar across different SMS services to make it convenient for everyone to understand the basic SMS problems.

In spite of the fact that SMS service error types are standard, the numbers used for each error and the method of issuing the error can differ between SMS providers. This is because of the following reasons:

• Each provider defines an SMS error differently, depending on their systems and operating methods.
• Some providers provide more information in their error reports than other providers.
• Providers have different ways of fixing text message errors once they happen. 

Here, we have mentioned the main types of text message errors that occur when sending text messages. 

1. Delivery Errors 

These delivery errors occur when your SMS message fails to reach the recipient. 

• 006 or 0061 (Message Expired): This text message error code occurs when a message takes too long to deliver and expires before it reaches the recipient.

• 20 (Network Failure): An error in the network preventing the message from being delivered.

• 80 (Destination Temporarily Unavailable): This SMS status code occurs when the user’s phone is turned off or out of service while you are sending the message.

2. Validation Errors

These error text messages are triggered if there is something wrong with the message itself or either Phone Number. 

• 10 (Invalid Message): This happens when your message contains characters or formatting that is not allowed.

• 40 (Invalid Source Number): This text error message means your phone number is misstated, unrecognized, or simply not valid for sending messages.

• 50 (Invalid Destination Number): This means that the number you dialed by the sending party is incorrect, non-functional, or blocked.

3. Permanent Delivery Failures

These text message errors indicate that delivery to such a destination will never take place for that subscriber. 

• 70 (Destination Permanently Unavailable): This error text message says that the dialed number does not exist or was once in use and is now abandoned.

4. Technical Failures

These error text messages occur because of problems in the technical part of message delivery. 

• 300 (Invalid Destination): This error occurs when the number dialed by the sender is either blocked or non-functional.

• 301 (Network Timeout): This type of text message error appears when the message does not reach the other party due to a network delay.

• 302 (Routing Error): This occurs when a message fails to be delivered to the recipient at the dialed telephone number.

5. Format Errors

These occur if the message or the phone number is not written in the correct format.

• 400 (Invalid Number Format): It is caused when the number is not in the correct format.

• 401 (Encoding Error): This text error message occurs when a message contains characters that either the network or the other party’s phone doesn’t understand.

• 402 (Empty Message): This text message error code means that the message has no text.

6. Compliance Errors

SMS service errors also take place if your message violates some regularity. 

• 30 (Spam Detected): This error means that the network or the other person’s phone company thinks that the message is spam.

• 500 (Unauthorized Sender ID): This SMS status code specifies that the name or number you sent from is not allowed within that country or on that network.

• 501 (Spam Detected): This issue occurs because the contents of your message violate anti-spam rules.

• 502 (Opt-Out Violation): It occurs when you send a message to a recipient who has opted out of receiving messages from you.

7. Carrier Errors

This is a problem that is created by the cell phone provider, including but not limited to:

• 600 (Carrier Rejection): This error occurs when the phone company content or sender rules block the message.

• 601 (Content Blocked): This SMS status code means that the phone company has blocked your message due to its content.

• 602 (Carrier Network Issue): This text error message means that the network at the phone company had a problem, so your message could not be delivered to their phone.

Text Message Error Codes and Ways to Fix Them 

If a text message does not go through, the person who sent it will receive text message error codes explaining why it failed. However, sometimes, even if the message is not sent, the sender might not receive a report. 

Below, we have mentioned the common text message error codes and their meanings. 

Error	What it means
000	No Error Detected
001	General Sending Error
002	Message Sending Expired
003	Invalid Recipient Number
004	Account Credit Update Failure
005	Unidentified Destination Country
006	Excessive Duplicate Messages Sent
007	Unauthorized Sender Identifier
008	Recipient Number Blocked
999	Unspecified Temporary Error

000: No error

• Everything is ok, and there are no issues.

001: Failed to deliver the SMS message to this number. 

When you successfully sent the SMS message, the carrier told you that they couldn’t deliver it to this number. 

🕵🏻Possible causes 

• The phone number is written wrong.
• The phone is turned off.
• The phone number is no longer working or has not been assigned to anyone.
• There’s a problem with the carrier’s system.
• Sender ID’s connection issues.
• The local carrier has a blacklisted sender ID. 
• Sending messages to a particular country is turned off.

✨Quick Fix

Switch off the phone and turn it on again. This refreshes the connection between the phone and the phone company, which often fixes it 90% of the time.

002: Sending SMS expired after 6 hours.

The phone number itself is correct, but the message could not be delivered because the phone could not connect to the phone company’s network.

🕵🏻Possible Causes

• The phone was turned off.
• The phone was out of the coverage area.
• The phone itself was having a temporary glitch and had to be rebooted.

✨Quick Fix

To resolve this issue, ensure the phone is powered on and within coverage. If the problem arises again, try rebooting the device to clear any temporary glitches.

003: Invalid number

These text message error codes mean that the phone number is not valid.

🕵🏻Possible Causes

• The number is written in the wrong format.
• The number is not real and can’t be reached.
• The number includes the country’s code ‘0’ at the beginning. For example, +44 (0) XXXXXXXX.

✨Quick Fix

Check that the number is well-formatted—that it has no leading zeros and no extra spaces. If that still doesn’t work, check with the person to whom you’re sending the message to make sure it’s a valid, reachable number.

004: Failure to add credit to the account

This error text message means that there is no balance left on your SIM card to send a message.

🕵🏻Possible Causes

• Your account has run out of pre-paid credits.

✨Quick Fix

First, check your account balance to ensure that you have enough prepaid credits. If your balance is low, top up your account to continue sending messages.

005: Could not determine which country, phone company, or number format is incorrect.

The phone number appears to be in the correct format, but this particular code is not used in any country.

🕵🏻Possible Causes

• The number is not valid.
• Does not include the area code or country code.
• Does include the area code of the country at the start with a ‘0.’

✨Quick Fix

Be sure that the number uses the correct country code without leading zeros. If the format is correct, verify the number with the receiver to ensure that it is valid and reachable. Also, if you are messaging international numbers, follow the international phone number format.

006: Too many of the same messages to the same number 

When you have a filter that limits messages sent to the same phone number.

🕵🏻Possible Causes

• You send five or more messages with the same content and name within 60 minutes.
• You’ve sent 20+ messages to the same number with the same name.

People generally do this to prevent: 

• Any accident requests resulting from technical errors.
• The person from requesting too many SMS (like requesting a lot of PIN codes).

✨Quick Fix

Reduce the number of messages to the same number. Send no more messages than the specified number within that many minutes, with at least 60 minutes between any message resend that has identical content. You can mix up the content of the messages or send them to different recipients to avoid hitting the limit.

007: Sender name is not permitted.

The error text message “007: Sender name not permitted” typically occurs when you try to send a message or make a call using a name that the service provider does not allow. 

🕵🏻Possible Causes

• You sent it using a name that is not allowed for your account.
• Names are case-sensitive; for example, “CoffeeShop” is not the same as “coffeeshop” or “COFFEESHOP.” These are different for us. Incorrectly formatted names will be declined.

✨Quick Fix

Check that the sender name matches one of the names configured in your account and is correctly cased. If necessary, update the sender name with the correct format and send the message again.

008: Number is on the ‘blacklist’

The service provider has blocked or restricted the phone number to which you are trying to send a message.

🕵🏻Possible Causes

• The phone number is present in the blacklisted contacts of your account, and you are unable to send messages to it.

✨Quick Fix

To resolve the “Number is on the blacklist” error, navigate to the Contacts & Groups section to remove the number from the blacklist. Once deleted, you can try to resend your message.

Conclusion

While messages not delivered can be very frustrating, knowing their root causes and error codes can increase the chances of delivering messages successfully. Recognizing common error types, such as delivery failures, validation issues, and technical glitches, gives you a better chance of being proactive in preventing or resolving problems.

Also, remember that while most error codes have been standardized, quick-fixing methods may differ based on the error messages. If you see repeated problems, contact your mobile carrier for further assistance. 

Now, with an incredibly clearer view of text message failures, you can fine-tune your communication experience and ensure all your messages reach their targets.

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