Reserved Error Codes in SMPP

What Are Reserved Error Codes?

Reserved error codes in SMPP are error codes that are not explicitly defined for specific failures but are reserved for future use or vendor-specific implementations. These codes are generally not standardized in the SMPP specification but may be used by certain SMSCs for proprietary errors.

Possible Causes

  • The SMSC is returning a reserved error code that is not documented in the SMPP specification.
  • The error code is vendor-specific and requires consultation with the SMSC provider.
  • A reserved error code may indicate an internal SMSC failure or an unhandled exception.
  • The ESME is using an unsupported feature or an incorrect message format.

When Does It Happen?

Reserved error codes may appear when the SMSC encounters an undefined issue that does not fit into standard SMPP error categories. They may also be returned when proprietary extensions to the protocol are in use.

Example SMPP PDU Transaction

Request PDU (submit_sm) Sent by ESME

00000033 (Length)
00000004 (Command ID for submit_sm)
00000000 (Command Status)
0000001A (Sequence Number)
00 (Service Type)
31 (Source TON)
31 (Source NPI)
31323334 00 (Source Address: "1234")
31 (Destination TON)
31 (Destination NPI)
35363738 00 (Destination Address: "5678")
00 (ESM Class)
00 (Protocol ID)
00 (Priority Flag)
00 (Schedule Delivery Time)
00 (Validity Period)
00 (Registered Delivery)
00 (Replace If Present)
00 (Data Coding)
00 (SM Default Msg ID)
06 (Message Length)
48656C6C6F21 (Short Message: "Hello!")

Response PDU (submit_sm_resp) Indicating Reserved Error Code

00000010 (Length)
80000004 (Command ID for submit_sm_resp)
000001FF (Command Status - Reserved Error Code)
0000001A (Sequence Number)

How to Solve It?

  • Check the SMSC documentation or contact the provider to understand the meaning of the reserved error code.
  • Review logs and configuration settings to identify potential mismatches with SMSC expectations.
  • Ensure that the SMPP request complies with the protocol specification and SMSC requirements.
  • Attempt resending the message with different parameters to identify potential configuration issues.
  • If the issue persists, escalate the problem to the SMSC support team for further analysis.

Since reserved error codes are not part of the standard SMPP specification, resolving them often requires coordination with the SMSC provider.

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