What Does Send as SMS via Server Mean?

Are your messages showing “sent as SMS via server” instead of delivered or failed? And now you want to know “What does send as SMS via server mean”? Then, this is the right place for you!

Many Android users have recently complained of a problem wherein the delivery status next to their sent messages in the messaging app reads “Sent as SMS via Server.” In this article, we will discuss everything about this issue and suggest possible methods to get this fixed by yourself. So, read it till the end!

What is “sent as SMS via server”?

Text messages usually are transmitted across the local cellular network from the user’s phone to the recipient’s device. When delivered, it reflects on your device as sent.

However, you may notice the delivery status to be “sent as SMS via server,” which means that the message you were sending was not received at the recipient’s end.

This happens because RCS reverts to sending your text as an SMS through its server, which eventually means that instead of coming from your phone, the SMS was sent via an RCS server.

Rich Communication Services

What is RCS?

As we mentioned previously, the messages are probably being delivered via the RCS server. So, you may want to know what RCS is. Basically, Rich Communication Services is referred to as RCS.

It is a protocol for communication used by mobile phone companies and between phones and carriers. It aims to replace SMS messages with a more robust text messaging system that offers phonebook polling and can provide in-call multimedia.

The change in message receipt like “sent as SMS via the server” in place of “sent” or “failed” for Android users happened after Google updated the messaging protocols for Rich Communication Services (RCS) in 2020.

Why I’m getting “sent as SMS via server” text?

You may think that “sent as SMS via server means I’m blocked on Android”. Well, it might be a potential cause of the problem, but there are several other reasons too.

RCS Disabled

To allow a seamless and improved texting experience, RCS requires that both parties be connected to an RCS service profile. However, you may receive the “Sent as an SMS via server” message if the RCS system is malfunctioning or if it isn’t enabled on your phone or the recipient’s phone.

In such cases, to prevent an excessive delay in message delivery, RCS sends your message by default as a standard SMS via its server. Therefore, instead of the failed status, the “Sent as an SMS via server” status is displayed.

Poor Network

The recipient’s or your device’s weak signal is another possible reason why the message “sent as SMS via the server” appears.

While not all messaging apps need good network strength to deliver or receive SMS, though, some of them surely do. Therefore, the messages get sent by default via a separate server if there isn’t any active internet connection.

The problem can also arise due to some default phone settings of your or the recipient’s device.

Blocked

The recipient may have blocked you. Therefore, you’re getting a “Sent as SMS via the server” message. You can always check if a person has blocked you on their device by giving him a call.

If the call is answered or goes to voicemail, it is proof that you are not blocked. However, there’s a good probability you’ve been blocked if you hear something like “this number is no longer in service.”

You can also try calling with another number. If the same message is not repeated, it means that you’re blocked by the recipient.

How do we fix the “sent as SMS via server” issue?

People who recently updated their Android to a new version or who have the most recent handsets majorly experienced the issue.

We cannot say that it is specifically an “error” of the device or network. Still, you must fix it to stop getting “sent as SMS via server” delivery status. Here are the different possible ways to do so.

Enable RCS

You must make sure that RCS is enabled on both your and the recipient’s phone to prevent the “Sent as SMS via server” notification from appearing. Follow these general instructions to make it work:

To enable RCS on your device, open your messaging app.
Click on the three-dot icon from the right corner of your screen.
Go to “Settings” and then to “Chat Settings”.
After you find the RCS option, turn on the toggle to enable it.

Modify Settings

Another approach to stopping the “Sent as SMS via server” message from displaying while texting is to enable the “show when delivered” option, which is disabled by default. Here are the steps for you:

Open the messaging app on your device.
Click on the three vertical dots visible on your screen.
Go to “Settings” and then to “More Settings”.
Tap on “Text Messages” and turn on the option for “Show when delivered.”

Clear Cache

Excessive app data can cause poor functioning of your device. It can also be responsible for disrupting message delivery. Therefore, you should clear your message cache often by following the steps given below:

Open your phone settings and then go to the apps section.
Look for the messaging app.
Next, tap on it and go to the storage.
Now, click on clear cache.

Boot into Safe Mode

Another good fix is to start your device in Safe Mode, which will reveal whether any third-party apps are to blame for the appearance of the messages. Here are the steps for the same:

Long press the power button until you get the “Power Off” option.
Now, long press the volume down button.
When the safe mode appears, click anywhere on the screen to restart your device.

Conclusion

With this article, we tried to tell you “what does Send as SMS via server mean” as well as several practical ways to stop receiving this message. There is a very less likely chance that the problem will persist after trying all the possible methods of resolution. However, if it does, you may visit your device’s service centre to get it checked by a trained professional.

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