Appendix A – Result Codes, Failure Causes, Other Tables
Multi-Tech Systems, Inc. Wireless GSM/GPRS AT Commands (Document Number S000293I) 178
GSM 04.11 Annex E-2: Mobile Originating SM-Transfer
These error causes could appear for SMS commands (+CMGS, +CMSS, +CMGD…)
Error # Error Label Description
1 Unassigned
(unallocated) number The destination requested by the Mobile Station cannot be reached because,
although the number is in a valid format, it is not currently assigned (allocated).
8 Operator determined
barring The MS has tried to send a mobile originating short message when the MS's
network operator or service provider has forbidden such transactions.
10 Call barred The outgoing call barred service applies to the short message service for the
called destination.
21 Short message transfer
rejected The equipment sending this cause does not wish to accept this short message,
although it could have accepted the short message.This cause is neither busy
nor incompatible.
27 Destination out of
service The destination indicated by the Mobile Station cannot be reached because the
interface to the destination is not functioning correctly. The term "not functioning
correctly" indicates that a signaling message was unable to be delivered to the
remote user; e.g., a physical layer or data link layer failure at the remote user,
user equipment off-line, etc.
28 Unidentified subscriber The subscriber is not registered in the PLMN (e.g., IMSI not kno wn)
29 Facility rejected The facility requested by the Mobile Station is not supported by the PLMN.
30 Unknown subscriber The subscriber is not registered in the HLR (e.g., IMSI or directory number is
not allocated to a subscriber).
38 Network out of order The network is not functioning correctly and the condition is likely to last a
relatively long period of time; e.g., immediately reattempting the short message
transfer is not likely to be successful.
41 Temporary failure The network is not functioning correctly and the condition is not likely to last a
long period of time; e.g., the Mobile Station may wish to try another short
message transfer attempt almost immediately.
42 Congestion The short message service cannot be serviced because of high traffic.
47 Resources unavailable,
unspecified This cause is used to report a resource unavaila bl e event only when no other
cause applies.
50 Requested facility not
subscribed The requested short message service could
69 Requested facility not
implemented The network is unable to provide the requested short message service.
81 Invalid short message
transfer reference value The equipment sending this cause has received a message with a short
message reference which is not currently in use on the MS-network interface.
95 Invalid message,
unspecified This cause is used to report an invalid message ev ent on ly when no other
cause in the invalid message class applies.
96 Invalid mandatory
information The equipment sending this cause has received a message where a mandatory
information element is missing and/or has a content error (the two cases are
undistinguishable).
97 Message type non-
existent or not
implemented
The equipment sending this cause has received a message with a message
type it does not recognize either because this is a message not defined or
defined but not implemented by the equipment sending this cause.
98 Message not compatible
with short message
protocol state
The equipment sending this cause has received a message such that the
procedures do not indicate that this is a permissible message to receive while in
the short message transfer state.
99 Information element non-
existent or not
implemented
The equipment sending this cause has received a message which includes
unrecognized information elements because the information element identifier is
not defined or it is defined but not implemented by the equipment sending the
cause.
However, the information element is not required to be present in the message
so that the equipment sends the cause to process the message.
111 Protocol error,
unspecified This cause is used to report a protocol error event only when no other cause
applies.
127 Interworking, unspecified There has been interworking with a network which does not provide causes for
actions it takes; thus, the precise cause for a message which is being sent
cannot be ascertained.
Note: All values other than specified should be treated as error #41.