C.4.4.1 Routing Process for SMS Replies

The Gateway SMPP relays and servers use historical records to handle SMS replies, notifications and mobile originated messages. When an SMS message is presented to the SMPP relay or server, the following routing process is followed:

1. The SMS destination address is compared against the historical record to see if there is a matching, unique SMS source address that the SMPP relay previously generated. If a match is found, see Step 6. .

2. If there is no match, but the message is an SMS notification (SMPP DELIVER_SM PDU), then the receipted message ID, if present, is compared against the historical record. If a match is found, go to Step 8. [The SMS Gateway Server actually allows these to be presented to either the SMPP relay or SMPP server.]

3. If there is no match, then the destination SMS address is compared against the SELECT_RE option expressions for each configured gateway profile. If a match is found, then go to Step 9.

4. If there is no match and the SMS message was presented to the Gateway SMPP relay, then the message is relayed to the remote SMPP server.

5. If there is no match and the SMS message was presented to the Gateway SMPP server, then the message is determined to be an invalid message and an error response is returned in the SMPP response PDU. For email to SMS, a Non Delivery Notification (NDN) is eventually generated.

6. If a matching unique SMS source address was found, then the SMS message is further inspected to see if it is a reply or a notification message. To be a notification message it must be a SUBMIT_SM PDU with a receipted message ID. Otherwise, it is considered to be a reply.

7. If it is a reply then the SMS message is converted to an email message using the origination email information from the historical record.

8. If it is a notification, then the SMS message is converted to an email Delivery Status Notification (DSN) as per RFC 1892-1894. Note that the ESMTP NOTIFY flags (RFC 1891) of the original email message will be honored (For example, if the SMS message is a “success” DSN but the original email message requested only “failure” notifications, then the SMS notification will be discarded).

9. If the destination SMS address matches a SELECT_RE option in a configured gateway profile, then the SMS message is treated as a mobile originated message and converted back to email message as per the PARSE_RE_n rules for that gateway profile. If the conversion fails, then the SMS message is invalid and an error response is returned.