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Communication - Texting - Patient did not receive a text message. Text message has a status of failed.

Why didn't a text message go through?

Updated over 3 months ago

Text messages can have a status of failed for a variety of reasons:

  • invalid phone number (may be a landline or a home phone)

  • network issues with the recipient’s cell phone carrier

  • the cell phone or destination device is out of funds

  • recipient has blocked your number

  • recipient has message filtering enabled on their device (this means that incoming text messages from a number that is not a contact in their cell phone is rejected or separated into a spam type folder and may be hidden!)

  • the cell phone has insufficient memory

  • high traffic on cell network

  • rejected by carrier due to message including a suspicious link (bit.ly and goo.gl)

Carrier violations:

Cell phone carriers such as T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon filter text messages to minimize spam. Cell phone carriers use AI (artificial intelligence) to filter text messages. Here are some of the reasons that text messages may be filtered or rejected:

  • high opt out rates and blocking of your number by recipients

  • large sending volume averaging over 200 individuals per day

  • low reply rate - are your recipients replying to your messages?

  • long messages with links

  • unbranded shortened URLs like bit.ly, tinyurl.com

  • words like cannabis, CBD, gummies will cause cell phone carriers to block your texting number

Here is a list of words that could flag your number: click here

Tips to improve deliverability:

  • ask the patient to save your office phone number as a contact in their cell phone

  • ask the patient to text the word "START" to your texting number

  • ask the patient to check their message filtering settings

  • send texts that encourage a reply

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