Sendbird Blog

16 reasons your text message failed to send and how to fix them

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Reasons why your text message failed to send:

  1. Misclassification of message type: Using a personal number for bulk messages can lead to carrier filtering due to the distinction between peer-to-peer (P2P) and application-to-person (A2P) messaging. To address this, businesses should use SMS services that offer clear distinction and proper routing for A2P and P2P messages.

  2. URL filtering: Filters scan messages for URLs associated with phishing, malware, or suspicious activities, leading to message blocking. Ensure messages comply with encoding and format standards to avoid being flagged.

  3. Compliance issues: Carriers enforce regulations on content, sender identification, and unsolicited messaging, leading to blocked or filtered SMS. Ensure messages adhere to recipient country's guidelines.

  4. Cross-border messaging constraints: Regulatory, technical, and operational challenges can impact SMS delivery across countries. Familiarize with and adhere to international messaging policies of the recipient's country.

  5. Outdated contact databases: Contact numbers may be disconnected or transferred to new users, causing message delivery failures. Regularly update contact lists to ensure accuracy.

  6. Network issues: Poor network connection or outages can prevent message transmission. Wait for a better connection or try sending the message again later.

  7. Recipient's phone off: If the recipient's phone is switched off or out of coverage, messages will not be delivered. Wait for the recipient to come back online or try contacting through other means.

  8. Carrier blocking: Some carriers may block certain messages or numbers due to spam or security reasons. Contact the carrier or try sending the message through a different platform.

  9. Message length: Messages exceeding the character limit may not send correctly. Check and reduce the message length before resending.

  10. Insufficient balance: If sending messages through a paid service, ensure there is sufficient balance in the account to cover the costs of messaging.

  11. Sender ID restrictions: Certain sender IDs may be restricted or blocked by carriers. Use approved sender IDs to increase the chances of successful message delivery.

  12. Do Not Disturb mode: Recipients who have enabled "Do Not Disturb" on their phones may not receive messages. Consider contacting the recipient at a more appropriate time.

  13. Device compatibility: Messages sent with incompatible formats or characters may fail to deliver. Test messages across different devices to ensure compatibility.

  14. Message delays: Congestion in the network or server issues can cause message delays. Wait for some time and try sending the message again.

  15. Receiver memory full: If the recipient's inbox is full, new messages may not be delivered. Advise the recipient to clear their inbox or try contacting them through alternative methods.

  16. System errors: Technical issues within the messaging service or platform can cause message failures. Contact customer support for assistance in resolving the issue.