Understanding Your SMS Delivery Reports: What Do the Statuses Really Mean?

If you have ever checked your Dexpatch delivery report and wondered why some messages say “Submitted” while others say “Rejected” or “DND-ST/1,” you are not alone.

When you hit send on Dexpatch, your messages are routed instantly to Nigerian mobile network operators (MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile). The operators then process the message and return a real-time status code telling us exactly what happened to your SMS.

While Dexpatch hands off your messages in real time, final delivery relies on operator networks and recipient handset states. Here is a complete guide to understanding your SMS delivery report meanings and what each status code actually tells you.

1. SUBMITTED: The Message Is in Transit

When your report shows Submitted, it means Dexpatch has successfully handed your SMS over to the telecom network, and we are awaiting the final handset delivery receipt from the operator.

• What is happening behind the scenes: The network is actively attempting to ping the recipient’s phone.
• Why it stays “Submitted”: The recipient’s phone may be powered off, out of network coverage, or in Airplane Mode. Mobile networks will continue retrying delivery for up to 24 to 48 hours.
• Important Note: In some cases, the SMS has already landed on the recipient’s phone, but the carrier network has experienced a brief delay in updating the status report back to our portal.

2. REJECTED: Gateway-Level Block

A Rejected status means the mobile network actively refused to process or route the SMS at the gateway level before it ever reached the recipient’s phone.

Common Causes for “Rejected”:

• Active DND Filter: The recipient line has Do Not Disturb enabled, and the message was dispatched via a Promotional Route. Telecom networks automatically drop promotional broadcasts to DND lines.
• Unregistered Sender ID: You are using a custom Sender ID that has not yet been approved or whitelisted by the network operators.
• Content & Keyword Filtering: The message body contained restricted or flagged keywords (such as suspicious links, unauthorized financial terms, or betting keywords) that triggered automatic carrier spam filters.
• Invalid Phone Number: The phone number formatting is missing digits, contains invalid characters, or is incorrectly formatted.

3. FAILED: Delivery Attempt Expired

A Failed status means the network accepted the SMS from Dexpatch and attempted delivery, but could not successfully reach the recipient’s phone within the operator’s retry window.

Common Causes for “Failed”:

• Extended Unavailability: The recipient’s phone was switched off or out of coverage for more than 24–48 hours, causing the delivery request to time out.
• SIM Account Issues: The recipient’s SIM card is deactivated, barred from receiving inbound SMS, or has a completely full inbox memory.
• Temporary Network Congestion: Local cell tower outages or temporary interconnect congestion between telecom providers.
• Ported Numbers (MNP): The recipient recently ported their number from one network to another (e.g., MTN to Airtel), creating a temporary routing breakdown at the operator gateway.

4. DND-ST/1: The Do-Not-Disturb Shield

DND-ST/1 is a specific network code commonly returned across Nigerian telecommunications networks. It stands for Do Not Disturb Status 1.

• Why it happens: In compliance with NCC regulations, Nigerian networks block promotional bulk SMS from delivering to numbers that have opted into the national DND database.
• How to fix it: If your message is a critical, non-promotional notice (such as an OTP, transaction alert, or account verification), ensure your Dexpatch account is configured to send via our Transactional Route, which includes compliant DND-override protocols.

5. EXPIRED: Inactive or Unidentified Line

An Expired status indicates that the network operator terminated the delivery attempt because the destination address is no longer valid.

• Why it happens: This occurs when a SIM card has been dormant, unassigned, or disconnected from the carrier network for an extended period.
• What to do: Remove these numbers immediately, as they no longer represent active mobile subscribers.

Quick Summary: How to Read Your Delivery Report

Status Code	Meaning	Primary Cause	Action to Take
Submitted	Pending delivery	Phone off or out of signal	Wait for the network retry window to close.
Rejected	Gateway block	Active DND or restricted content	Verify Sender ID or switch to Transactional route.
Failed	Handset undeliverable	Inactive SIM or full phone memory	Verify that the number is active and typed correctly.
DND-ST/1	Blocked by DND	User opted out of promotional SMS	Use Transactional route for critical alerts.
Expired	Invalid subscriber	Disconnected or recycled number	Delete the number from your contact list.

How to Protect Your Credits and Improve Delivery Rates

Because telecom operators charge for network routing attempts regardless of final handset states, keeping a clean contact database is essential to maximizing your ROI on Dexpatch.

Best Practices to Follow:

1. Clean Your Lists Regularly: Filter out numbers that consistently return FAILED, REJECTED, or EXPIRED across multiple campaigns.
2. Use Correct Number Formatting: Ensure all Nigerian phone numbers are uploaded in standard local format (0803XXXXXXX) or international format (234803XXXXXXX).
3. Match Content to the Right Route: Send general broadcasts and marketing offers via the Promotional Route. Reserve operational alerts, receipts, and OTPs for the Transactional Route.
4. Avoid Spam Triggers: Keep your message text professional and avoid aggressive, all-caps sales pitch phrasing or unverified link shorteners that trigger operator content filters.

By maintaining clean, opt-in contact lists, you ensure every SMS credit spent on Dexpatch reaches an active, engaged audience instantly!