List of Cause Codes for Calls

Cause codes provide granular information about a call status to help you understand what happened with a call.


CauseCodeTextDescription
UNALLOCATED_NUMBERUnallocated (unassigned) numberThis cause indicates that the destination requested by the calling user cannot be reached because, though the number is in a valid format, it is not currently assigned (allocated).
NO_ROUTE_TO_NETWORKNo route to specified transit networkThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a request to route the call through a particular transit network that it does not recognize. This could be because the transit network does not exist or because that particular transit network does not serve the equipment which is sending this cause.
NO_ROUTE_TO_DESTINATIONNo route to destinationThis cause indicates that the called party cannot be reached because the network through which the call has been routed does not serve the destination desired. This cause is supported on a network-dependent basis.
SPECIAL_INFORMATION_TONEsend special information toneThis cause indicates that the called party cannot be reached for reasons that are of a long-term nature and that the special information tone should be returned to the calling party.
MISDIALED_TRUNK_PREFIXmisdialed trunk prefixThis cause indicates the erroneous inclusion of a trunk prefix in the called party number. This number is to snipe from the dialed number being sent to the network by the customer premises equipment.
CHANNEL_UNACCEPTABLEchannel unacceptableThis cause indicates that the channel most recently identified is not acceptable to the sending entity for use in this call.
CALL_AWARDED_ESTABLISHED_CHANNELcall awarded. being delivered in an established channelThis cause indicates that the user has been awarded the incoming call and that the incoming call is being connected to a channel already established to that user for similar calls (e.g. packet-mode x.25 virtual calls).
PREEMPTIONpreemptionThis cause indicates the call is being preempted.
PREEMPTION_REUSEpreemption - circuit reserved for reuseThis cause indicates that the call is being preempted and the circuit is reserved for reuse by the preempting exchange.
NORMAL_CLEARNINGnormal call clearingThis cause indicates that the call is being cleared because one of the users involved in the call has requested that the call be cleared. This could mean
  • Telephone line problems.
  • Hung session on the remote end.
USER_BUSYUser busyThis cause is used to indicate that the called party is unable to accept another call because the user's busy condition has been encountered. This cause value may be generated by the called user or by the network. In the case of user-determined user busy, it is noted that the user equipment is compatible with the call.
NO_USER_RESPONDINGno user respondingThis cause is used when a called party does not respond to a call establishment message with either an alerting or connect indication within the prescribed period of time allocated.
NO_ANSWERno answer from the userThis cause is used when the called party has been alerted but does not respond with a connect indication within a prescribed period of time. Note - This cause is not necessarily generated by Q.931 procedures but may be generated by internal network timers.
SUBSCRIBER_ABSENTsubscriber absentThis cause value is used when a mobile station has logged off. Radio contact is not obtained with a mobile station or if a personal telecommunication user is temporarily not addressable at any user-network interface
CALL_REJECTEDcall rejectedThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause does not wish to accept this call. although it could have accepted the call because the equipment sending this cause is neither busy nor incompatible. This cause may also be generated by the network, indicating that the call was cleared due to a supplementary service constraint. The diagnostic field may contain additional information about the supplementary service and the reason for rejection.
NUMBER_CHANGEDnumber changedThis cause is returned to a calling party when the called party number indicated by the calling party is no longer assigned. The new called party number may optionally be included in the diagnostic field. If a network does not support this cause, cause no. 1, unallocated (unassigned) number shall be used
NON_SELECTED_USER_CLEARNINGnon-selected user clearingThis cause indicates that the user has not been awarded the incoming call.
DESTINATION_OUT_OF_ORDERdestination out of orderThis cause indicates that the destination indicated by the user cannot be reached because the interface to the destination is not functioning correctly. The term "not functioning correctly" indicates that a signal message was unable to be delivered to the remote party; e.g., a physical layer or data link layer failure at the remote party or user equipment off-line.
INVALID_NUMBER_FORMATinvalid number formatThis cause indicates that the called party cannot be reached because the called party number is not in a valid format or is not complete
FACILITIES_REJECTEDfacilities rejectedThis cause is returned when a supplementary service requested by the user cannot be provided by the network
STATUS_INQUIRY_RESPONSEresponse to STATUS INQUIRYThis cause is included in the STATUS message when the reason for generating the STATUS message was the prior receipt of a STATUS INQUIRY.
NORMAL_UNSPECIFIEDnormal. unspecifiedThis cause is used to report a normal event only when no other cause in the normal class applies
NO_CHANNEL_AVAILABLEno circuit/channel availableThis cause indicates that there is no appropriate circuit/channel presently available to handle the call.
CALL_QUEUEDCall Queued
NETWORK_OUT_OF_ORDERnetwork out of order.This cause indicates that the network is not functioning correctly and that the condition is likely to last a relatively long period of time e.g., immediately re-attempting the call is not likely to be successful
CONNECTION_OUT_OF_SERVICEpermanent frame mode connection out-of-serviceThis cause is included in a STATUS message to indicate that a permanently established frame mode connection is out-of-service (e.g. due to equipment or section failure)
CONNECTION_OPERATIONALpermanent frame mode connection operationalThis cause is included in a STATUS message to indicate that a permanently established frame mode connection is operational and capable of carrying user information
TEMPORARY_FAILUREtemporary failureThis cause indicates that the network is not functioning correctly and that the condition is not likely to last a long period of time; e.g., the user may wish to try another call attempt almost immediately.
SWITCHING_EQUIPMENT_CONGESTIONswitching equipment congestionThis cause indicates that the switching equipment generating this cause is experiencing a period of high traffic
ACCESS_INFO_DISCARDEDaccess information discardedThis cause indicates that the network could not deliver access information to the remote user as requested i.e., user-to-user information, low layer compatibility, high layer compatibility, or sub-address as indicated in the diagnostic. It is noted that the particular type of access information discarded is optionally included in the diagnostic
CHANNEL_NOT_AVAILABLErequested circuit/channel not availableThis cause is returned when the circuit or channel indicated by the requesting entity cannot be provided by the other side of the interface
PRECEDENCE_CALL_BLOCKEDprecedence call blockedThis cause indicates that there are no predictable circuits or that the dialed user is busy with a call of equal or higher preventable level
RESOURCE_UNAVAILABLEresource unavailable, unspecifiedThis cause is used to report a resource unavailable event only when no other cause in the resource unavailable class applies
QOS_NOT_AVAILABLEQuality of Service not availableThis cause is used to report the requested Quality of Service, as defined in Recommendation X.213. cannot be provided (e.g., the throughput of transit delay cannot be supported)
FACILITY_NOT_SUBSCRIBEDrequested facility not subscribed

This cause indicates that the user has requested a supplementary service which is implemented by the equipment which generated this cause but the user is not authorized to use

The switch looks at the number being dialed and thinks it is for another service rather than ISDN. If the phone number is put in the correct format, the call should be placed properly. There are no standards for this, all Telcos have their own system for programming the number formats that the switches will recognize. Some systems want to see 7 digits, some 10, and others 11.

OUTGOING_CALLS_BARREDoutgoing calls barred
OUTGOING_CALLS_BARRED_CUGoutgoing calls barred within CUGThis cause indicates that although the calling party is a member of the CUG for the outgoing CUG call. Outgoing calls are not allowed for this member of the CUG
INCOMING_CALLS_BARRREDincoming calls barred
INCOMING_CALLS_BARRRED_CUGincoming calls barred within CUGThis cause indicates that although the calling party is a member of the CUG for the incoming CUG call. Incoming calls are not allowed for this member of the CUG
BEARER_CAPABILITY_NOT_AUTHORIZEDbearer capability not authorizedThis cause indicates that the user has requested a bearer capability which is implemented by the equipment which generated this cause but the user is not authorized to use
BEARER_CAPABILITY_NOT_AVAILABLEbearer capability is not presently availableThis cause indicates that the user has requested a bearer capability which is implemented by the equipment which generated this cause but which is not available at this time
INCONSISTENT_OUTGOING_INFO_ELEMENTinconsistency in the outgoing information elementThis cause indicates an inconsistency in the designated outgoing access information and subscriber class
SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLEservice or option not available. unspecified.This cause is used to report a service or option not available event only when no other cause in the service or option not available class applies
BEARER_CAPABILITY_NOT_IMPLEMENTEDbearer capability not implementedThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause does not support the bearer capability requested.
What it means:
  1. In most cases, the number being called is not an ISDN number but an analog destination.
  2. The equipment is dialing at a faster rate than the circuitry allows, for example, dialing at 64K when only 56K is supported
CHANNEL_TYPE_NOT_IMPLEMENTEDchannel type not implementedThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause does not support the channel type requested
FACILITY_NOT_IMPLEMENTEDrequested facility not implementedThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause does not support the requested supplementary services
RESTRICTED_BEARER_CAPABILITY_AVAILABLEonly restricted digital information bearer capability is availableThis cause indicates that the calling party has requested an unrestricted bearer service but the equipment sending this cause only supports the restricted version of the requested bearer capability
SERVICE_NOT_IMPLEMENTEDservice or option not implemented unspecifiedThis cause is used to report a service or option not implemented event only when no other cause in the service or option not implemented class applies
INVALID_CALL_REFERENCE_VALUEinvalid call reference valueThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message with a call reference that is not currently in use on the user-network interface.
CHANNEL_DOES_NOT_EXISTidentified channel does not existThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a request to use a channel not activated on the interface for a call. For example, if a user has subscribed to those channels on a primary rate interface numbered from l to 12 and the user equipment or the network attempts to use channels 3 through 23, this cause is generated.
SUSPENDED_CALL_EXISTSA suspended call exists, but this call identify does notThis cause indicates that a call resume has been attempted with a call identity that differs from that in use for any presently suspended call(s).
CALL_IDENTITY_INUSEcall identity in useThis cause indicates that the network has received a call suspended request containing a call identity (including the null call identity) that is already in use for a suspended call within the domain of interfaces over which the call might be resumed
NO_CALL_SUSPENDEDno call suspendedThis cause indicates that the network has received a call resume request containing a call identity information element which presently does not indicate any suspended call within the domain of interfaces over which calls may be resumed
CALL_IDENTITY_CLEAREDcall having the requested call identity has been clearedThis cause indicates that the network has received a call resume request containing a call identity information element indicating a suspended call that has in the meantime been cleared while suspended (either by network time-out or by the remote user)
USER_NOT_MEMBER_OF_CUGuser not a member of CUGThis cause indicates that the called user for the incoming CUG call is not a member of the specified CUG or that the calling user is an ordinary subscriber calling a CUG subscriber.
INCOMPATIBLE_DESTINATIONincompatible destinationThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a request to establish a call that has low layer compatibility. high layer compatibility or other compatibility attributes (e.g., data rate) which cannot be accommodated
NON_EXISTENT_CUGnon-existent CUGThis cause indicates that the specified CUG does not exist.
INVALID_TRANSIT_NETWORK_SELECTIONinvalid transit network selectionThis cause indicates that a transit network identification was received which is of an incorrect format as defined in Annex C/Q.931
INVALID_MESSAGEDinvalid message, unspecifiedThis cause is used to report an invalid message event only when no other cause in the invalid message class applies.
MANDATORY_INFO_ELEMENT_MISSINGmandatory information element is missingThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message which is missing an information element that must be present in the message before that message can be processed
MESSAGE_TYPE_NON_EXISTENTmessage type non-existent or not implementedThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message with a message type it does not recognize either because this is a message not defined of defined but not implemented by the equipment sending this cause
MESSAGE_NOT_COMPATIBLEmessage not compatible with call state or message type non-existentThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message such that the procedures do not indicate that this is a permissible message to receive while in the call state, or a STATUS message was received indicating an incompatible call state
INFO_ELEMENT_NON_EXISTENTInformation element / parameter non-existent or not implementedThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message which includes information element(s)/parameter(s) not recognized because the information element(s)/parameter name(s) are not defined or are defined but not implemented by the equipment sending the cause. This cause indicates that the information element(s)/parameter(s) were discarded. However, the information element is not required to be present in the message in order for the equipment sending the cause to process the message
INVALID_INFO_ELEMENT_CONTENTSInvalid information element contentsThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received an information element that it has implemented; however, one or more of the fields in the information element are coded in such a way that has not been implemented by the equipment sending this cause
MESSAGE_NOT_COMPABITLE_CALL_STATEmessage not compatible with call stateThis cause indicates that a message has been received which is incompatible with the call state.
RECOVERY_ON_TIMER_EXPIRYrecovery on timer expiryThis cause indicates that a procedure has been initiated by the expiration of a timer in association with error handling procedures
PARAMETER_NON_EXISTENTparameter non-existent or not implemented - passed onThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has received a message which includes parameters not recognized because the parameters are not defined or are defined but not implemented by the equipment sending this cause. The cause indicates that the parameter(s) were ignored. In addition, if the equipment sending this cause is an intermediate point, then this cause indicates that the parameter(s) were passed unchanged
MESSAGE_WITH_UNRECOGNIZED_PARAMETERmessage with unrecognized parameter discardedThis cause indicates that the equipment sending this cause has discarded a received message which includes a parameter that is not recognized
PROTOCOL_ERRORprotocol error, unspecifiedThis cause is used to report a protocol error event only when no other cause in the protocol error class applies
INTER_WORKINGInter-working, unspecifiedThis cause indicates that an interworking call (usually a call to 5W56 service) has ended