ESME_RUNKNOWNERR in SMPP

What is ESME_RUNKNOWNERR?

ESME_RUNKNOWNERR (Error Code: 0x000000FF) is a generic SMPP error indicating an unknown failure occurred. This error is returned when the SMSC cannot determine a specific cause for the failure.

Possible Causes

  • Unexpected internal SMSC failure.
  • Network congestion or temporary issues.
  • Unrecognized or unsupported message format.
  • Incorrectly formatted SMPP PDU.
  • Issues with SMSC software or database.

When Does It Happen?

This error occurs when the SMSC encounters an issue that does not match any predefined error conditions. It typically results from transient failures or unexpected conditions within the SMSC.

Example SMPP PDU Transaction

Request PDU (submit_sm) Sent by ESME

0000003C (Length)
00000004 (Command ID for submit_sm)
00000000 (Command Status)
00000001 (Sequence Number)
00 (Service Type)
01 (Source Address TON - International)
01 (Source Address NPI - ISDN)
31323334 00 (Source Address: "1234")
01 (Destination Address TON - International)
01 (Destination Address NPI - ISDN)
39383736 00 (Destination Address: "9876")
00 (ESM Class)
00 (Protocol ID)
00 (Priority Flag)
00000000 (Schedule Delivery Time - Not Set)
00000000 (Validity Period - Not Set)
00 (Replace If Present Flag)
00 (Sm Default Msg ID)
0005 (Message Length)
48656C6C 6F (Message: "Hello")

Response PDU (submit_sm_resp) Indicating ESME_RUNKNOWNERR

00000010 (Length)
80000004 (Command ID for submit_sm_resp)
000000FF (Command Status - ESME_RUNKNOWNERR)
00000001 (Sequence Number)

How to Solve It?

  • Retry the request after a short delay to check if the issue is transient.
  • Ensure the SMPP PDU is correctly formatted and adheres to the protocol.
  • Check for any maintenance or issues reported by the SMSC provider.
  • Contact the SMSC provider for further debugging and support.

Since this is a general error, resolution often requires investigation by the SMSC operator.

More information