# Real SMS Delivery Reports (DLR) | ZafeConnect

> Get real delivery reports (DLRs) from the mobile operators for every SMS, available through the API and webhooks and in your analytics.

Canonical URL: https://www.zafeconnect.com/network/delivery-reports
Language: en
Last modified: 2026-11-09

## Real delivery reports from the operators

URL: https://www.zafeconnect.com/network/delivery-reports

Know what happened to every message. ZafeConnect passes on the delivery reports (DLRs) returned by the mobile operators themselves, not estimates.

A delivery report, or DLR, is the operator’s confirmation of what happened to a message: delivered, failed, or still pending. Without real DLRs you only know that a message left your system, not that it reached your customer.

ZafeConnect returns the delivery reports from the operators to you through the API, in webhooks and in your analytics. You can build on them: retry on another channel, trigger a follow-up, or measure your real delivery rate.

What matters:
- **Delivered, failed, pending:** The statuses that matter: the operator has delivered the message to the handset, has failed it, or has not reported back yet.
- **A report is not a read receipt:** A DLR tells you about delivery to the phone, not whether the recipient read the message. Opens and clicks come from channels and links that can measure them.
- **Detail varies by destination:** Some operators return rich status and error codes, others only a basic status, and a few return very little. A good provider tells you what to expect per country.
- **Timing differs by network:** Some networks report back quickly, others later. Build your logic to wait for the report rather than assume.

How ZafeConnect delivers:
- **Real operator DLRs:** The status you see comes from the operator network.
- **API and webhooks:** Fetch the status of a message through the API, or receive signed webhook events when a message is delivered or fails.
- **Analytics included:** Delivery results flow into the analytics included in every ZafeConnect solution, tracked across SMS, RCS, iMessage and email.
- **Pay for delivered messages:** You are charged per delivered message, so reporting and billing follow the same logic.



Questions to ask any provider:
- Are the delivery reports real operator reports, or generated by the provider?
- What do I get in countries where operators return limited reports?
- Can I receive delivery reports in real time through webhooks?

FAQ:
Q: What is a DLR?
A: A delivery report, also called a delivery receipt, is the status that the mobile operator returns for a message, for example delivered or failed.

Q: Are delivery reports always available?
A: Operators decide what they return. In some countries reporting is limited or delayed. Ask us about the destinations you send to.

Q: How do I receive delivery reports?
A: Poll the message status endpoint, or receive webhook events. The API documentation lists the fields and shows how to verify the signature.

Q: Does a delivered status mean the customer read the message?
A: No. Delivered means the message reached the phone. Read status is only available on channels that support it.