Returned by /sms/send; handed to the provider, no DLR yet.
sent
Provider accepted/submitted to the carrier; not yet confirmed delivered.
delivered
Confirmed delivered to the handset; delivered_at is set; cost trued-up.
failed
Could not be delivered; error_message explains why; charge refunded if the send was rejected outright.
Status only ever moves forward (pending → sent → failed → delivered by rank) — out-of-order provider reports never downgrade a message that's already delivered.