What Does Sent as SMS via Server Mean

You may have seen some text messages on your mobile phone appear as “Sent as SMS via Server” instead of the usual read receipts—Sent, Delivered, Read. There is a lot of confusion and worry expressed online and people trying to understand what they’ve done wrong, but the explanation for this unexpected sent status is rather simple and benign.

For Android users, this change in message receipt came after Google’s update to the protocols of Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging in 2020. So, the “Sent as SMS via server” text receipt appears when users send RCS messages on Android’s messaging app.

What this can also mean is that the message is sent through an intermediary third-party service rather than from your phone directly for reasons like preventing text message delay. Read on to learn how sending an SMS via a server differs from regular text messaging.

What is a Server?

First things first, you need to understand that a mobile phone is not the only way you can send an SMS. An SMS gateway or MMS gateway allows a computer—aka a server—to send or receive text messages in the form of Short Message Service or Multimedia Messaging Service transmissions between local and international telecommunications networks.

A server allows you to send SMS over WiFi from a computer rather than a phone. This is provided through an SMS service provider, which is an intermediary that provides SMS messaging services but is not a mobile network operator. They act as a middleman between the network operators and users, who can enjoy more flexibility and control. The server will send the SMS for you, allowing you to send SMS messages to any place, at any time, and to any number of recipients.

How Do You Send an SMS via Server?

To send SMS via server, you need to sign up for a messaging service to ditch the limitations of a phone and send texts from a computer to however many people you’d like, however often you’d like. Dexatel is an omnichannel messaging platform that powers customer communications for businesses of all sizes. Simply register for a free account and try out the features of a platform that takes full advantage of server-based SMS.

What is RCS?

Rich Communication Services is the RCS messaging protocol that powers new features for the default Android messaging app. Google started rolling out RCS as Android’s primary texting platform in late 2020. On most of the latest Android devices, the RCS protocol has replaced the old messaging software. So, users no longer receive the older message receipts but instead the default message, "Sent as SMS via Server."

This interactive protocol supports group chats, video, audio, and photos—features you’d find in messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, or iMessage. For many businesses, this is the core use of this technology—to communicate more effectively with their audiences.

SMS is the most effective communication channel available to businesses, but it has limitations. RCS messages solve many of those limitations including the lack of multimedia. With RCS, businesses can send high-resolution images and include company logos and colors, making them far more attractive than simple text messages.

What Does "Sent as SMS via Server" Mean on Android?

"Sent as SMS via Server" is a status message that appears on Android devices when sending text messages using the RCS protocol. When you see the message "Sent as SMS via Server," it means that your message was sent using RCS messaging through an intermediary server rather than being sent directly as a standard SMS message. This might happen for various reasons, such as when the recipient's device or network doesn't fully support RCS, or when there's a need to ensure message delivery and prevent delays.

What are the Benefits of Sending SMS via Server?

Sending SMS via server has several benefits, the main one being the ability to send a mass text. It can be cumbersome or nearly impossible to send an SMS to more than a few dozen recipients at once on your phone. Sending via a server means that you can send a message simultaneously to hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people.

What’s more, sending SMS via a server gives you greater control over the messages and a way to track and manage them. It can help ensure that messages are delivered in a timely manner and on a schedule of your choosing. When messages are sent through a server, they can also be sent from anywhere in the world to any desired destination.

How Do You Fix Sent as SMS via Server?

If you’re using an Android phone, you can fix the "Sent as SMS via Server" message and go back to the older default message receipts—this is how you can do it.

First, you can disable and enable the “Show when delivered” option in your device’s messaging settings app to stop the “Sent as SMS via Server” receipt and get the usual text receipts back.

If that doesn’t work, you can clear your device’s cache. This can differ from model to model but is usually found in your messaging app’s storage settings.

Finally, you can reboot your phone in Safe Mode to determine whether an application is causing the issue. For this, the best thing to do is consult your device's manual for instructions.