An SMS delivery report, also known as a delivery receipt (DLR), is a notification sent back to the sender that confirms whether a text message has been delivered to the recipient’s mobile device. These reports are crucial for anyone—especially businesses and developers—who rely on SMS for important communications, such as marketing messages, transactional alerts, or two-factor authentication (2FA).
A delivery report provides insight into the success or failure of a message’s delivery, helping to assess performance and reliability.
How Do SMS Delivery Reports Work?
When a sender (a person, app, or automated system) sends an SMS using an SMS gateway or carrier network, the message travels through several steps:
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Message Submission: The SMS is sent from the sender’s device or system to the SMS gateway or mobile carrier.
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Carrier Processing: The carrier attempts to deliver the SMS to the recipient’s mobile device.
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Delivery Attempt Result:
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If successful, the recent mobile phone number data carrier sends a positive delivery report indicating that the message has been delivered.
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If the delivery fails (e.g., due to a switched-off phone, invalid number, or network error), a negative delivery report is sent, explaining the failure.
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These reports are then sent back to the sender’s system, often via an API callback, web creating a phone number list for seasonal promotions interface, or email, depending on the configuration.
Types of SMS Delivery Reports
There are generally two categories:
1. Successful Delivery Report
This confirms that the SMS has reached the recipient’s mobile phone. It typically includes:
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Message ID
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Recipient’s number
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Delivery timestamp
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Status: “Delivered” or “Success”
2. Failed Delivery Report
Common failure reasons include:
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Invalid phone number
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Phone turned hong kong data off or out of coverage
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Message expired (e.g., if undelivered after a set period)
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Carrier issues
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Recipient blocked messages
Fields in a Typical Delivery Report
A standard delivery report may contain the following information:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Message ID | Unique identifier for the sent message |
| Recipient Number | The phone number that the SMS was sent to |
| Status | Delivered, Failed, Pending, Rejected, etc. |
| Error Code | Numeric code indicating delivery issues |
| Timestamp | Date and time when delivery was attempted |
| Description | Textual explanation of the delivery status |
Benefits of SMS Delivery Reports
1. Confirmation of Reach
2. Improved Communication Reliability
Knowing which messages fail allows businesses to retry delivery, follow up through other channels, or correct phone number errors.
3. Performance Analytics
Tracking delivery success rates helps businesses evaluate the effectiveness of campaigns and messaging strategies.
4. Better Customer Experience
Ensuring timely and accurate message delivery boosts trust, especially for time-sensitive communications like OTPs and alerts.
5. Compliance and Record Keeping
Delivery reports serve as logs for communication records, useful for audits and regulatory compliance.
Use Cases for SMS Delivery Reports
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Marketing Campaigns: Marketers analyze delivery rates to refine their contact lists and messaging strategies.
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Emergency Alerts: Public agencies or utilities verify message delivery during outages or crises.