The Airtel network, like any major MNO (Mobile Network Operator) in India, returns two main sets of error codes for bulk SMS: Delivery/Route Codes (low numbers) from its own SMS Center (SMSC), and DLT Scrubbing Codes (high numbers) mandated by TRAI.
Below is a combined list of the most important Airtel-specific Route Error Codes for bulk SMS delivery failures, along with common DLT-related codes used by the network.
Airtel SMSC Delivery & Route Errors (0-150 Series)
These codes are returned directly by the Airtel SMS Center (SMSC) and relate to the recipient's phone status, network capabilities, or equipment issues.
| Error Code | Status Name (Common Terms) | Description / Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | NORMAL DELIVERED | Message was successfully delivered to the handset. |
| 1 | Unknown Subscriber | The mobile number is permanently invalid, inactive, or not found on the network. |
| 5 | Unidentified Subscriber | The subscriber cannot be identified (similar to 1). |
| 9 | Illegal Subscriber | The subscriber is restricted or has failed authentication. |
| 11 | Not Provisioned service | The teleservice (SMS) is not provisioned for this subscriber. |
| 12 | Illegal Equipment | The handset/equipment is blacklisted or illegal. |
| 13 | Call Barred / Barred call | The recipient has barred the ability to receive messages. |
| 31 | Busy Subscriber | The subscriber's handset is busy or temporarily unavailable. |
| 34 | System Failure | General network or SS7 protocol system failure (often temporary). |
| 35 | Data Missing | Network signalling data is missing or incomplete. |
| 40 | Memory Capacity Exceeded | The recipient's SIM or handset memory is full, preventing message storage. |
| 41 | Protocol Error in equipment | Handset/equipment protocol error. |
| 49 | SIM Full | Short message delivery failure due to memory capacity exceeded (similar to 40). |
| 60 | Absent Subscriber | The subscriber's handset is off, out of coverage, or otherwise unreachable (temporary). |
| 61 | Absent subscriber Detached | The subscriber has explicitly detached from the network. |
| 62 | Absent subscriber Page Fail | Paging attempt to locate the handset failed. |
| 63 | Absent subscriber Restricted | The subscriber is restricted (e.g., roaming restriction). |
| 65 | Absent subscriber Purged | The message was purged after failed delivery attempts while the subscriber was absent. |
| 99 | Promotional Time Block | Message failed because it was submitted outside the approved promotional hours (9 AM - 9 PM IST). |
| 106 | Network Congestion | General network congestion, leading to message failure (temporary). |
| 129 | System failure | General system failure on the network side (Alternative to 34). |
| 150 | Return error problem incorrect parameter | Internal protocol error related to message parameters. |
Airtel DLT Scrubbing & System Codes (5XX, 8XX, 9XX Series)
These codes relate to DLT compliance checks or specific internal system/API failures at the operator level.
| Error Code | Status Name | Description / Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 5101 | FULLY BLOCKED / PROMO BLOCKED | Message blocked due to DND preferences (Universal DLT Code: 650). |
| 5201 | Header Not Active | The Sender ID is inactive (Universal DLT Code: 621). |
| 5307 | Content Not Matched | The submitted content does not exactly match the approved DLT template (Universal DLT Code: 633). |
| 802 | EntityID Inactive / Not registered | The Principal Entity is inactive or not registered with Airtel DLT (Universal DLT Code: 602). |
| 804 | Header Inactive / Not registered | The Sender ID is inactive or not registered with Airtel DLT (Universal DLT Code: 621). |
| 812 | Missing PE-TM Hash | The linkage between your Entity and your Telemarketer is missing in Airtel's database. |
| 813 | PE ID Mismatch | The Entity ID in the request does not match the linked PE ID. |
| 888 | Retry | Internal instruction to retry the message. |
| 999 | Permanent Failure | A general permanent failure; the message cannot be delivered. |
| 9014 | Invalid TM Password | Invalid Telemarketer (TM) password used for submission. |
| 9015 | Invalid TM Username | Invalid Telemarketer (TM) username used for submission. |
Universal DLT Scrubbing Codes (Often returned by Airtel)
For completeness, remember that Airtel also returns the mandatory universal DLT codes (e.g., 601, 603, 610, 620, 630) if the failure is due to missing or blacklisted registration.
| Error Code | Category | Universal Description |
|---|---|---|
| 601 | Entity | Entity Not Registered |
| 610 | Telemarketer | Telemarketer Not Registered |
| 620 | Header | Header Not Found |
| 630 | Template | Template Not Found |
| 633 | Template | Template Not Matched |
| 650 | Preference | Preference Not Matched (DND) |