ESME_RSYSERR in SMPP

What is ESME_RSYSERR?

ESME_RSYSERR (Error Code: 0x00000008) is a generic SMPP error indicating that a system-level failure has occurred on the SMSC (Short Message Service Center) or SMPP gateway.

Possible Causes

  • Temporary SMSC or gateway failures.
  • Database or internal system errors within the SMSC.
  • Network issues causing disruptions in communication.
  • Overloaded SMSC due to high traffic.
  • Unexpected internal failures on the SMSC side.

When Does It Happen?

This error typically occurs when an SMPP request (such as submit_sm or bind_transmitter) fails due to an internal SMSC issue.

Example SMPP PDU Transaction

The following is an example of a submit_sm request that receives an ESME_RSYSERR response due to a system failure:

Request PDU (submit_sm)

0000002C (Length)
00000004 (Command ID for submit_sm)
00000000 (Command Status)
00000002 (Sequence Number)
00000000 (Service Type)
35363137 38363530 30303000 (Destination Address)
00 (Priority Flag)
01 (Registered Delivery Flag)
00000000 (Message Length)
48656C6C6F (Message: "Hello")

Response PDU (submit_sm_resp) with ESME_RSYSERR

00000010 (Length)
80000004 (Command ID for submit_sm_resp)
00000008 (Command Status - ESME_RSYSERR)
00000002 (Sequence Number)

Issue: The SMSC responded with 0x00000008, indicating a system error.

How to Solve It?

  • Retry the request after a short delay, as the issue might be temporary.
  • Check the SMSC's status and logs for reported outages or system failures.
  • Ensure network connectivity between the SMPP client and the SMSC.
  • Monitor SMSC load and consider traffic balancing if applicable.
  • If the issue persists, contact the SMSC provider for further investigation.

Since this is a server-side issue, resolution often depends on the SMSC provider's internal infrastructure and availability.

More information