ESME_RCANCELFAIL in SMPP

What is ESME_RCANCELFAIL?

ESME_RCANCELFAIL (Error Code: 0x00000011) is an SMPP error indicating that the cancel_sm request failed.

Possible Causes

  • The message ID provided in the cancel_sm request does not exist.
  • The message has already been delivered and cannot be canceled.
  • The message is in a state where cancellation is not allowed.
  • The ESME does not have permission to cancel messages.
  • The message ID belongs to another ESME account.
  • The SMSC does not support message cancellation.

When Does It Happen?

This error occurs when sending a cancel_sm PDU, and the SMSC is unable to cancel the requested message.

Example SMPP PDU Transaction

Incorrect cancel_sm PDU (Invalid Message ID)

0000001E (Length)
00000008 (Command ID for cancel_sm)
00000000 (Command Status)
00000002 (Sequence Number)
31323334 35363738 39300000 (Invalid Message ID: "1234567890")
00 (Service Type)
01 (Source Address TON)
01 (Source Address NPI)
31323334 00 (Source Address: "1234")
01 (Destination Address TON)
01 (Destination Address NPI)
39383736 00 (Destination Address: "9876")

Response PDU (cancel_sm_resp) with ESME_RCANCELFAIL

00000010 (Length)
80000008 (Command ID for cancel_sm_resp)
00000011 (Command Status - ESME_RCANCELFAIL)
00000002 (Sequence Number)

Issue: The message ID provided ("1234567890") does not exist or cannot be canceled.

How to Solve It?

  • Verify that the message ID exists and was correctly retrieved from a submit_sm_resp.
  • Ensure the message has not already been delivered.
  • Check if the SMSC supports message cancellation.
  • Confirm that the ESME has the necessary permissions to cancel messages.
  • Enable debugging logs to inspect the exact values being sent in the PDU.

If the issue persists, contact the SMSC provider to verify message cancellation policies and resolve the issue.

More information