In the earth of read receipts, emoji reactions, and "someone is typing", non getting your text message delivered is frustrating. Especially when you don't know why that happened.

Yous might be surprised, simply there are many reasons why your message didn't make information technology through. Nosotros've seen them all and volition share what we've learned in this post.

Here are the 11 reasons why your message didn't get delivered.

one. Your message was flagged as Spam by the recipient's carrier

With the rise of text messaging, carriers started protecting their subscribers from SMS spam. Similar to how your electronic mail provider moves letters they think are suspicious to the Spam binder, your mobile carrier does the aforementioned. Except those text messages don't get delivered to you at all. They simply get filtered out by your carrier.

When you're texting someone for the beginning time, keep in mind that your message can get filtered out. This happens when something in your bulletin raised a flag for the recipient's carrier.

While many carriers have their own guidelines and methods for fighting spam, some principles are universally followed.

Here are some of the common reasons why letters get filtered out:

  • You're sending suspicious links, particularly if you're using a URL shortener like bit.ly, tiny.url, etc.
  • Yous're sending a lot of messages with the same content.
  • You lot're sending overly long messages. Every SMS segment is 160 characters long and so if you're sending an essay, that'll heighten a red flag for the receiving carrier.
  • Using all caps in your letters like "SIGN UP NOW FOR Costless". This both looks suspicious and isn't effective.

ii. Yous need a unlike type of phone number

At that place are two types of messaging — A2P (application-to-person) and P2P (person-to-person) . And these types crave different kinds of phone numbers.

If you're a business organisation sending letters to your customers, there'south a chance you're engaging in A2P messaging. Appointment reminders, billing confirmations, and other transactional texts are considered A2P.

If you have a personal relationship with your customers and are not sending templated or automatic letters, you're probable engaging in P2P messaging. This means you lot're texting them like you would text a friend.

If A2P describes your employ instance best, y'all need to make sure y'all have an appropriate type of phone number for it. Price-free numbers, brusk codes, and certain local numbers approved for high-volume messaging (known as 10DLC or x-digit long code) will work hither. Using a regular local phone number to ship hundreds or thousands of messages in a short span of time volition go your messages blocked past the carriers, especially if you're not compliant with 10DLC.

Example of an automated text message from UPS
Messages like this should be sent using a 10DLC telephone number or a brusque code; otherwise, they might non exist delivered.

If P2P describes your use example, you've got goose egg to worry about. As long as y'all don't transport hundreds of messages in a brusque span of fourth dimension, y'all'll exist all prepare.

If yous're looking to ship a loftier volume of messages, send u.s.a. a note and we'll be happy to help observe a number blazon that suits your needs.

3. You lot're sending also many messages

Similar to the point higher up, if you're sending a lot of text letters and are doing SMS blasts, your letters might be caught in the spam filter. There are guidelines around how many messages you tin ship depending on the number you're using.

Telephone numbers designated for P2P traffic (typically your local numbers) are generally only allowed to send 1 message per 2d. There should also exist a adequately even one-to-one residuum of sending and receiving messages. If you're sending 300 messages merely simply getting x responses, that's a red flag and tin can outcome in your messages getting blocked.

4. The recipient opted out of letters

Well-nigh platforms offering SMS have a born organization for recipients to opt out of messages.

In OpenPhone, if someone texts back "End," they volition no longer be eligible to receive texts from you. Unless they opt back in, you won't be able to message them.

Screenshot showing someone opting out of receiving text messages by messaging stop
Unless the person you're talking to responds once more with "START", your messages won't exist delivered to them.

5. The recipient blocked your phone number

While this is rare, it happens. If the recipient blocks your phone number from contacting them, your message won't be delivered. If yous don't see a 'Delivered' or 'Read' notification, this is a likely caption.

half dozen. The message independent illegal content

If you're sending messages with illicit content, such as adult content, references to drugs, or anything referring to criminal activeness, they can go blocked past the receiving carrier. CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications and Cyberspace Clan) is a regulatory body that enforces guidelines for SMS letters. You must ensure that the content of the letters you send complies with all applicable laws of the jurisdiction in which the bulletin recipient is located.

7. You lot're texting a landline

Despite all advances in engineering, there are however phones that look like this ☎️. They don't support messaging and are limited to calls only. If you're texting a landline, your bulletin is most likely non getting delivered.

screenshot of someone attempting to text a landline phone number
If you lot work for the City of San Francisco or know someone who does, we can aid 🙂

8. Network problems with the recipient'southward carrier

While non that common of an issue, sometimes there are problems with the recipient's carrier network that can halt delivery.

9. Billing result on the recipient'south carrier side

Although this rarely happens, it'due south possible that y'all're texting someone on a pre-paid plan who has an outstanding remainder on their business relationship. Many carriers offer pre-paid plans block these accounts from receiving messages until the balance is paid.

10. Recipient reported your bulletin to their carrier

If y'all've followed all the tips above and still had a message undelivered, at that place's a adventure a recipient reported your message to their carrier. It's also possible they reported a message that looked very similar to the one you've sent, so their carrier preemptively blocked your message.

eleven. You lot've entered a incorrect number

You'd be surprised how often this happens. Out of ideas? Make sure y'all've entered the number correctly. Especially if you lot're messaging international numbers. 🙂

Get more reliable texting with OpenPhone

OpenPhone mobile and desktop apps

Hope this post sheds some lite on the mysteries of SMS deliverability. We love helping professionals communicate seamlessly and then if you have whatsoever questions or just desire to get advice on your SMS-related questions or issues, send me a annotation.

If you're looking for a unproblematic and reliable solution for texting, check out OpenPhone. Nosotros're building a modern business phone for minor businesses and startups. It works correct on top of your existing devices (via an app). We've got a free trial and so check it out for yourself and permit me know what yous think!

FAQ

What are the most common reasons for SMS letters non getting delivered?

There are a number of reasons why an SMS message might not get delivered, only some of the virtually common are: the recipient opted out of messages, the recipient blocked your phone number, the bulletin contained illegal content, or there were network problems with the recipient'due south carrier.

What does information technology mean when a text message is undelivered?

Whether you're an individual looking to send a grouping SMS or a professional needing to communicate with your team on the go, there are plenty of reasons why messages may not reach their intended recipient. When you run across that an SMS message is undelivered, it ways the carrier couldn't evangelize the text to that phone number.

How can I avoid undelivered text messages?

To ensure you don't send out a text that never makes it to its recipient, make sure all your contacts have a valid number and their carriers tin can support SMS.