Vodafone SMS Symptoms

TMC /SMSC Down  (TMC – Text Message Centre)  (SMSC – Short Message Service Centre)

The above are two different names for the same equipment.

Every SMS that is sent from a customers phone has to route through the TMC / SMSC (Hence the message failing if the TMC number (+447785016005) is not programmed into the phone).

Traditionally it was the case that every SMS was routed via the SMSC. Vodafone have now introduced a new platform called the SFE (SMS Front End).

As an SMSC is a store and forward technology it introduced delays, the SFE does an HLR lookup on receipt of a message and delivers it if the phone is switched on and in coverage.

This has increased throughput and increased capacity massively.

Only if the phone isn’t available will the SMS be sent and stored on the SMSC. Which then sets a message waiting delivery flag on the HLR, once the subscriber registers again the HLR knows to contact the SMSC to deliver the message.

Symptoms:

If the TMC goes down the customer will not be able to send any text messages. The message they get back from the mobile can vary from ‘message failed’ to ‘message rejected’, or many others, again this is dependent on what make or model of handset is being used.

Multiple Messages/Message Sending Failed.

This could be a problem with the signalling links on the MSC.

If you ever get that consistently it would be worth having a look on the Vodafone eForum for any posts relating to the same thing and doing the *#102# to find out which MSC you are on.

Special thanks to Dave for giving us the info