Why don't text messages "bounce"

[Octopus]

So here is the scenario:

Tried sending a cousin a text message twice - no response, so tried calling him... mobile network says "number no recognised (or something similar)

So why didn't the mobile network return them "undelivered" - a bit like emails do.

Just wondering

Thanks

 

[hightower]

Because text messages are dumb compared to email. The message is sent to the number without verification but no protocol exists (in the traditional sense of SMS) for it to respond saying it sent ok.

 

[7029 dave]

So here is the scenario:

Tried sending a cousin a text message twice - no response, so tried calling him... mobile network says "number no recognised (or something similar)

So why didn't the mobile network return them "undelivered" - a bit like emails do.

Just wondering

Thanks

I would say, it must have been sent to a valid number, does not matter if it's not the number you want, if number was unobtainable it would not send.

 

[Octopus]

I would say, it must have been sent to a valid number, does not matter if it's not the number you want, if number was unobtainable it would not send.

Hum... and that's my point - my phone shows the text as "sent" but trying to call the number revealed the number was not valid!

 

[Andy78]

You can set up a delivery report, basically a text sent to you to confirm actual delivery. My mate does it to keep track of work texts.

 

[Octopus]

You can set up a delivery report, basically a text sent to you to confirm actual delivery. My mate does it to keep track of work texts.

I was under the impression that the "receiver" can prevent these from being sent!

 

[Andy78]

I was under the impression that the "receiver" can prevent these from being sent!

I don't think so, only if they block your number entirely. I might be wrong though.

 

[Octopus]

When Nokia had this feature, you could turn off "acknowledgements" in the settings....

 

[snowhead]

You may get a failed to deliver after several attempts message after a couple of days.
I seem to remember getting these in the distant) past.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - yes we can get a delivery receipt for SMS - but it's not very reliable as some SMS are received but not acknowledged and I think it may be possible for a text to be acknowledged but not received by the phone, let alone read by its owner. It gets complicated (for me anyway) but I think HT has it right ... it wasn't really designed with this in mind. E.g., if I text wifey when she's in coverage, I seem to get an ack. And a return text at some point. If she's in a 'not-spot' when I send, she gets the text when she's back in coverage but I don't ever get an ack. Just a nice return text, of course. This is for a text that crosses 2 UK networks.