ESME_RINVNUMMSGS in SMPP

What is ESME_RINVNUMMSGS?

ESME_RINVNUMMSGS (Error Code: 0x00000055) is an SMPP error indicating that the number of messages specified in a request is invalid or exceeds the allowed limit.

Possible Causes

  • The number_of_messages field contains an invalid or out-of-range value.
  • The ESME is requesting an unsupported batch operation.
  • The SMSC has a limit on the maximum number of messages that can be referenced in a single request.

When Does It Happen?

This error typically occurs in SMPP operations such as query_sm or cancel_sm when the number_of_messages parameter is set to an invalid value.

Example SMPP PDU Transaction

Incorrect query_sm PDU (Invalid Number of Messages)

0000001F (Length)
00000003 (Command ID for query_sm)
00000000 (Command Status)
00000002 (Sequence Number)
35363738 00 (Message ID: "5678")
01 (Source Address TON - International)
01 (Source Address NPI - ISDN)
31323334 00 (Source Address: "1234")
FF (Invalid Number of Messages)

Response PDU (query_sm_resp) with ESME_RINVNUMMSGS

00000010 (Length)
80000003 (Command ID for query_sm_resp)
00000055 (Command Status - ESME_RINVNUMMSGS)
00000002 (Sequence Number)

Issue: The number_of_messages field is set to an invalid value (0xFF), which is not recognized by the SMSC.

How to Solve It?

  • Ensure that the number_of_messages field contains a valid numeric value.
  • Verify that the requested number of messages does not exceed the SMSC's limits.
  • Check with the SMSC provider for any restrictions on bulk message retrieval or cancellation.
  • Review the SMPP specification for the correct format of the affected request.

If the issue persists, enable debug logging and review the raw SMPP transactions to identify any further misconfigurations.

More information