ESME_RINVDSTADR in SMPP

What is ESME_RINVDSTADR?

ESME_RINVDSTADR (Error Code: 0x0000000B) is an SMPP error indicating that the destination address provided in the request is invalid or not allowed by the SMSC.

Possible Causes

  • The destination_addr field is empty or incorrectly formatted.
  • The destination number is longer or shorter than the allowed length.
  • The destination number contains invalid characters (e.g., letters or special symbols).
  • The dest_addr_ton and dest_addr_npi values are incorrect or not supported.
  • The destination number is blocked or not routable by the SMSC.

When Does It Happen?

This error occurs when submitting an SMPP PDU (such as submit_sm) with an invalid or unsupported destination address.

Example SMPP PDU Transaction

Incorrect submit_sm PDU (Invalid Destination Address)

0000002C (Length)
00000004 (Command ID for submit_sm)
00000000 (Command Status)
00000002 (Sequence Number)
00000000 (Service Type)
05 (Source Address TON - Alphanumeric)
00 (Source Address NPI - Unknown)
74657374 000000 (Source Address: "test")
01 (Destination Address TON - International)
01 (Destination Address NPI - ISDN)
00000000 (Empty Destination Address)
00 (Priority Flag)
01 (Registered Delivery Flag)
00000000 (Message Length)
48656C6C6F (Message: "Hello")

Response PDU (submit_sm_resp) with ESME_RINVDSTADR

00000010 (Length)
80000004 (Command ID for submit_sm_resp)
0000000B (Command Status - ESME_RINVDSTADR)
00000002 (Sequence Number)

Issue: The destination_addr field is empty, causing the SMSC to reject the request.

How to Solve It?

  • Ensure that the destination_addr field contains a valid phone number.
  • Use a valid dest_addr_ton and dest_addr_npi:
    • For international numbers: dest_addr_ton = 1, dest_addr_npi = 1
    • For national numbers: dest_addr_ton = 2, dest_addr_npi = 1
  • Verify that the destination number is within the supported length and format.
  • Ensure that the number is not blocked or restricted by the SMSC.
  • Enable debugging logs to inspect the exact value being sent in the PDU.

If the issue persists, contact the SMSC provider to confirm routing rules for the destination number.

More information