Why are my texts not delivering? Causes and fixes

What Not sent and Not delivered mean in Tonet Messages, and how to fix unregistered numbers, carrier filtering, STOP opt-outs and links.

Business texts fail for a few reasons: the number isn't registered for business texting, the carrier filtered the text, the person replied STOP, or their number can't get texts. Tonet shows the reason under the text in Messages.

Check what Messages says

Under each text you send, a small mark shows how far it got. Point at it to see its name.

You see	It means
A clock	Still sending
One check mark	Sent: the carrier took it
Two check marks	Delivered to the phone
A red reason, like Carrier filtered this as spam	Not delivered: the carrier refused it

If a text couldn't leave at all, a Not sent message pops up and the text stays on screen as failed. See Texts that say Not sent.

What each reason means

Messages says	What to do
Number is not registered for A2P 10DLC	Your number isn't on an approved registration. See Your number isn't registered.
Toll-free number is not verified	See Toll-free numbers.
Carrier filtered this as spam	See Carrier filtering.
Carrier rejected it without a reason	See Carrier filtering.
Recipient replied STOP and is unsubscribed	See STOP and HELP.
Recipient has blocked this number	They blocked your number. Call them instead.
Handset unreachable or switched off	Their phone is off or out of coverage. Try again later.
Unknown or inactive number	Check the number.
Not a valid mobile number	Check the number.
Landline, or carrier cannot receive texts	Call them instead.
Carrier cannot deliver to this number	Check the number, or call them.
Carrier error and a number	Look it up in the next table.

New Tonet accounts text through Plivo. On those accounts, Messages shows the reason as Carrier error and Plivo's number:

Carrier error	What it means
30	The carrier's spam filter stopped it. See Carrier filtering.
50	Not a valid number, or a landline
70	The number is out of service
80	Their phone is off or out of reach. Try again later.
100	Their network can't take this text
200	They replied STOP. See STOP and HELP.
420	It expired before reaching a carrier. For US texts, check that your number is registered.
960	The toll-free number isn't verified. See Toll-free numbers.

Your number isn't registered

Carriers block business texts from numbers that aren't registered for A2P 10DLC.

A number that isn't registered shows Texting not approved on Manage › Phones, and Messages won't send from it. If none of your numbers can text yet, Messages shows Pending Carrier Verification. Register your business.
A red Texting blocked on a number's card means the carrier refused its recent texts because it says the number isn't registered (or, for a toll-free number, not verified). Calls work as usual. Email support@tonet.ai.
Bought a number after you registered? It needs adding to your campaign. See Add a number later.

Carrier filtering

Carriers filter texts that look unwanted, even from registered numbers. To stay out of the filters:

Only text people who agreed to get your texts, and only the kind they agreed to. Consent to reminders isn't consent to promotions.
Say who you are in each text.
Don't send anything on the list of content you can't register, like alcohol, gambling or debt collection.
Don't spread the same text across many numbers to get past filters. Carriers don't allow it.
Watch your opt-outs. Many STOP replies, or people reporting your texts as spam by forwarding them to 7726, can get a number suspended.

Links and URL shorteners

Use full links on your own website.
Don't use public shorteners like bit.ly or TinyURL. Carriers filter them. If you shorten links, use a short domain only your business uses.
Avoid links that redirect several times. They can look like phishing.
Any phone number in a text should be one people can see is yours.
If your texts have links or phone numbers, tick those boxes when you register. See Message content boxes.

STOP and HELP

When someone replies STOP, END, QUIT, CANCEL or UNSUBSCRIBE, your later texts to them are blocked. You'll see Not sent — the carrier rejected this message., Recipient replied STOP and is unsubscribed, or Carrier error 200.
To get your texts again, they text START to your number.
Don't text them from another of your numbers. Carriers expect you to honor an opt-out.
HELP doesn't opt anyone out. Your opt-in wording should tell people to reply HELP for help. See What to write.

Texts that say Not sent

Messages says	What to do
Not sent — the account balance is empty. Add funds to resume texting.	An owner or manager adds funds. Other roles see Not sent — please contact your administrator.
Not sent — you're not authorized to text from this number.	Ask an owner, manager or administrator to add you on the number's Permissions tab.
Not sent — no valid recipient on this thread.	Start a new conversation with the number.
Not sent — the carrier rejected this message.	Check the number. The person may have replied STOP.
Not sent — something went wrong. Try again.	Send it again. If it keeps failing, email support@tonet.ai.

A text is charged once the carrier takes it, even if it isn't delivered later. A text that says Not sent isn't charged.

Toll-free numbers

Carriers block or limit texts from toll-free numbers that haven't passed toll-free verification. This is separate from SMS registration, and Tonet's form doesn't do it. Email support@tonet.ai to ask about texting from a toll-free number. More about toll-free numbers.

Still not delivered?

Email support@tonet.ai with the number you texted from, the number you texted, and when.

Next steps

SMS registration: register your business, statuses and fees.
What to write: wording carriers accept.
Messages: texting your customers.

Why are my texts not delivering? Causes and fixes

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