Send SMS with GSM Modem - CMS Error codes

If you are trying to send an SMS messages with a GSM modem, the modem can return an error code in case there is a problem. The following table lists the most common GSM error codes including the +CMS and +CME codes.

What is +CMS ERROR?

+CMS ERROR: typically signifies an issue with the mobile equipment (IOT device) or GSM network. CMS error codes can be caused by sending or receiving SMS messages via a GSM modem.

How to use the +CMS ERROR codes?

The GSM modem device will alert with a "CMS ERROR" message and a numeric code to indicate the cause of any sending/receiving error. The GSM error codes list is a valuable tool for detecting and troubleshooting of the modem, network or SIM card error origins.

What is +cms error 304?

Invalid PDU mode parameter, according to the AT command reference below.

There may be an invalid character before the "ctrl-z" character when you press Ctrl-Z, causing the modem to return an +cms error 304. Communicate with devices using the Ozeki Serial Terminal. All devices, including standard serial devices, USB serial devices, USB to RS232 converters, microcontrollers, USB modems, and all other similar devices will be compatible.

Introduction

The GSM error codes listed in this table are called CMS ERROR codes. Please note that CMS errors are modem specific errors, which means, the best you can do to find out what an error code means is to check your modem's manual. Of course we know that sometimes it is hard to find the modem manual, this is why have published the AT command reference information.

The most common errors you will face when you want to send an SMS message are discussed in the following document: Send SMS Error Reasons. If this document does not help, take a look at the following table:

CMS ERROR 1 "Unassigned (unallocated) number" This cause indicates that the destination requested by the Mobile Station cannot be reached because, although the number is in a valid format, it is not currently assigned (allocated).
CMS ERROR 8 "Operator determined barring" This cause indicates that the MS has tried to send a mobile originating short message when the MS's network operator or service provider has forbidden such transactions.
CMS ERROR 10 "Call barred" This cause indicates that the outgoing call barred service applies to the short message service for the called destination.
CMS ERROR 17 "Network failure". This cause is sent to the MS if the MSC cannot service an MS generated request because of PLMN failures, e.g. problems in MAP.
CMS ERROR 21 "Short message transfer rejected" This cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause does not wish to accept this short message, although it could have accepted the short message since the equipment sending this cause is neither busy nor incompatible.
CMS ERROR 22 "Congestion". This cause is sent if the service request cannot be actioned because of congestion (e.g. no channel, facility busy/congested etc.).
CMS ERROR 27 "Destination out of service" This cause indicates that the destination indicated by the Mobile Station cannot be reached because the interface to the destination is not functioning correctly. The term "not functioning correctly" indicates that a signalling message was unable to be delivered to the remote user; e.g., a physical layer or data link layer failure at the remote user, user equipment off line, etc.
CMS ERROR 28 "Unidentified subscriber" This cause indicates that the subscriber is not registered in the PLMN (i.e. IMSI not known).
CMS ERROR 29 "Facility rejected" This cause indicates that the facility requested by the Mobile Station is not supported by the PLMN.
CMS ERROR 30 "Unknown subscriber" This cause indicates that the subscriber is not registered in the HLR (i.e. IMSI or directory number is not allocated to a subscriber).
CMS ERROR 38 "Network out of order" This cause indicates that the network is not functioning correctly and that the condition is likely to last a relatively long period of time; e.g., immediately reattempting the short message transfer is not likely to be successful.
CMS ERROR 41 "Temporary failure" This cause indicates that the network is not functioning correctly and that the condition is not likely to last a long period of time; e.g., the Mobile Station may wish to try another short message transfer attempt almost immediately.
CMS ERROR 42 "Congestion" This cause indicates that the short message service cannot be serviced because of high traffic.
CMS ERROR 47 "Resources unavailable, unspecified" This cause is used to report a resource unavailable event only when no other cause applies.
CMS ERROR 50 "Requested facility not subscribed" This cause indicates that the requested short message service could not be provided by the network because the user has not completed the necessary administrative arrangements with its supporting networks.
CMS ERROR 69 "Requested facility not implemented" This cause indicates that the network is unable to provide the requested short message service.
CMS ERROR 81 "Invalid short message transfer reference value" This cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message with a short message reference which is not currently in use on the MS network interface.
CMS ERROR 95 "Invalid message, unspecified" This cause is used to report an invalid message event only when no other cause in the invalid message class applies.
CMS ERROR 96 "Invalid mandatory information" This cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message where a mandatory information element is missing and/or has a content error (the two cases are indistinguishable).
CMS ERROR 97 "Message type non-existent or not implemented" This cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message with a message type it does not recognize either because this is a message not defined or defined but not implemented by the equipment sending this cause.
CMS ERROR 98 "Message not compatible with short message protocol state" This cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message such that the procedures do not indicate that this is a permissible message to receive while in the short message transfer state.
CMS ERROR 99 "Information element non-existent or not implemented" This cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message which includes information elements not recognized because the information element identifier is not defined, or it is defined but not implemented by the equipment sending the cause. However, the information element is not required to be present in the message in order for the equipment sending the cause to process the message.
CMS ERROR 111 "Protocol error, unspecified" This cause is used to report a protocol error event only when no other cause applies.
CMS ERROR 127 "Interworking, unspecified" This cause indicates that there has been interworking with a network which does not provide causes for actions it takes; thus, the precise cause for a message which is being send cannot be ascertained.
CMS ERROR 128 Telematic interworking not supported x
CMS ERROR 129 Short message Type 0 not supported x x
CMS ERROR 130 Cannot replace short message x x
CMS ERROR 143 Unspecified TP PID error x x
CMS ERROR 144 Data coding scheme (alphabet) not supported x
CMS ERROR 145 Message class not supported x
CMS ERROR 159 Unspecified TP DCS error x x
CMS ERROR 160 Command cannot be actioned x
CMS ERROR 161 Command unsupported x
CMS ERROR 175 Unspecified TP Command error x
CMS ERROR 176 TPDU not supported x x
CMS ERROR 192 SC busy x
CMS ERROR 193 No SC subscription x
CMS ERROR 194 SC system failure x
CMS ERROR 195 Invalid SME address x
CMS ERROR 196 Destination SME barred x
CMS ERROR 197 SM Rejected Duplicate SM x
CMS ERROR 198 TP VPF not supported X
CMS ERROR 199 TP VP not supported X
CMS ERROR 208 SIM SMS storage full x
CMS ERROR 209 No SMS storage capability in SIM x
CMS ERROR 210 Error in MS x
CMS ERROR 211 Memory Capacity Exceeded X
CMS ERROR 212 SIM Application Toolkit Busy x x
CMS ERROR 255 Unspecified error cause
128...255 Other values in this range are reserved, defined by GSM 03.40 subclause 9.2.3.22 values
CMS ERROR 300 ME failure
CMS ERROR 301 SMS service of ME reserved
CMS ERROR 302 operation not allowed
CMS ERROR 303 operation not supported
CMS ERROR 304 invalid PDU mode parameter
CMS ERROR 305 invalid text mode parameter
CMS ERROR 310 SIM not inserted
CMS ERROR 311 SIM PIN required
CMS ERROR 312 PH SIM PIN required
CMS ERROR 313 SIM failure
CMS ERROR 314 SIM busy
CMS ERROR 315 SIM wrong
CMS ERROR 316 SIM PUK required
CMS ERROR 317 SIM PIN2 required
CMS ERROR 318 SIM PUK2 required
CMS ERROR 320 memory failure
CMS ERROR 321 invalid memory index
CMS ERROR 330 SMSC address unknown
CMS ERROR 331 no network service
CMS ERROR 332 network timeout
CMS ERROR 340 no +CNMA acknowledgment expected
CMS ERROR 500 unknown error
256...511 Other values in this range are reserved
512... manufacturer specific

More information