diff --git a/app/dao/notifications_dao.py b/app/dao/notifications_dao.py
index 443000e6b..d1b78c27a 100644
--- a/app/dao/notifications_dao.py
+++ b/app/dao/notifications_dao.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from flask import current_app
 from werkzeug.datastructures import MultiDict
 from sqlalchemy import (desc, func, or_, and_, asc)
 from sqlalchemy.orm import joinedload
+from notifications_utils.international_billing_rates import INTERNATIONAL_BILLING_RATES
 
 from app import db, create_uuid
 from app.dao import days_ago
@@ -163,6 +164,10 @@ def _decide_permanent_temporary_failure(current_status, status):
     return status
 
 
+def country_records_delivery(phone_prefix):
+    return INTERNATIONAL_BILLING_RATES[phone_prefix]['attributes']['dlr'].lower() == 'yes'
+
+
 def _update_notification_status(notification, status):
     status = _decide_permanent_temporary_failure(current_status=notification.status, status=status)
     notification.status = status
@@ -182,7 +187,10 @@ def update_notification_status_by_id(notification_id, status):
             Notification.status == NOTIFICATION_SENT
         )).first()
 
-    if not notification or notification.status == NOTIFICATION_SENT:
+    if not notification:
+        return None
+
+    if notification.international and not country_records_delivery(notification.phone_prefix):
         return None
 
     return _update_notification_status(
diff --git a/app/models.py b/app/models.py
index f8d3d6a88..ba667f599 100644
--- a/app/models.py
+++ b/app/models.py
@@ -215,6 +215,21 @@ class Service(db.Model, Versioned):
             self.can_send_letters = LETTER_TYPE in [p.permission for p in self.permissions]
             self.can_send_international_sms = INTERNATIONAL_SMS_TYPE in [p.permission for p in self.permissions]
 
+    @classmethod
+    def from_json(cls, data):
+        """
+        Assumption: data has been validated appropriately.
+
+        Returns a Service object based on the provided data. Deserialises created_by to created_by_id as marshmallow
+        would.
+        """
+        # validate json with marshmallow
+        fields = data.copy()
+
+        fields['created_by_id'] = fields.pop('created_by')
+
+        return cls(**fields)
+
 
 class ServicePermission(db.Model):
     __tablename__ = "service_permissions"
@@ -679,6 +694,7 @@ class Notification(db.Model):
 
     id = db.Column(UUID(as_uuid=True), primary_key=True, default=uuid.uuid4)
     to = db.Column(db.String, nullable=False)
+    normalised_to = db.Column(db.String, nullable=True)
     job_id = db.Column(UUID(as_uuid=True), db.ForeignKey('jobs.id'), index=True, unique=False)
     job = db.relationship('Job', backref=db.backref('notifications', lazy='dynamic'))
     job_row_number = db.Column(db.Integer, nullable=True)
diff --git a/app/service/rest.py b/app/service/rest.py
index 180740063..3270b96c2 100644
--- a/app/service/rest.py
+++ b/app/service/rest.py
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@ from datetime import datetime
 from flask import (
     jsonify,
     request,
-    current_app
+    current_app,
+    Blueprint
 )
 from sqlalchemy.orm.exc import NoResultFound
 
-from app.dao import notification_usage_dao
+from app.dao import notification_usage_dao, notifications_dao
 from app.dao.dao_utils import dao_rollback
 from app.dao.api_key_dao import (
     save_model_api_key,
@@ -39,11 +40,13 @@ from app.dao.service_whitelist_dao import (
     dao_add_and_commit_whitelisted_contacts,
     dao_remove_service_whitelist
 )
-from app.dao import notifications_dao
 from app.dao.provider_statistics_dao import get_fragment_count
 from app.dao.users_dao import get_user_by_id
 from app.errors import (
-    InvalidRequest, register_errors)
+    InvalidRequest,
+    register_errors
+)
+from app.models import Service
 from app.service import statistics
 from app.service.utils import get_whitelist_objects
 from app.service.sender import send_notification_to_service_users
@@ -57,7 +60,6 @@ from app.schemas import (
     detailed_service_schema
 )
 from app.utils import pagination_links
-from flask import Blueprint
 
 service_blueprint = Blueprint('service', __name__)
 
@@ -108,9 +110,14 @@ def create_service():
         errors = {'user_id': ['Missing data for required field.']}
         raise InvalidRequest(errors, status_code=400)
 
-    user = get_user_by_id(data['user_id'])
-    data.pop('user_id', None)
-    valid_service = service_schema.load(request.get_json()).data
+    # validate json with marshmallow
+    service_schema.load(request.get_json())
+
+    user = get_user_by_id(data.pop('user_id', None))
+
+    # unpack valid json into service object
+    valid_service = Service.from_json(data)
+
     dao_create_service(valid_service, user)
     return jsonify(data=service_schema.dump(valid_service).data), 201
 
diff --git a/migrations/versions/0086_add_norm_to_notification.py b/migrations/versions/0086_add_norm_to_notification.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..346d5b6dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/versions/0086_add_norm_to_notification.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+"""
+
+Revision ID: 0086_add_norm_to_notification
+Revises: 0085_update_incoming_to_inbound
+Create Date: 2017-05-23 10:37:00.404087
+
+"""
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+revision = '0086_add_norm_to_notification'
+down_revision = '0085_update_incoming_to_inbound'
+
+
+def upgrade():
+    op.add_column('notifications', sa.Column('normalised_to', sa.String(), nullable=True))
+
+
+def downgrade():
+    op.drop_column('notifications', 'normalised_to')
diff --git a/tests/app/dao/test_notification_dao.py b/tests/app/dao/test_notification_dao.py
index 6d1842da1..38705ed42 100644
--- a/tests/app/dao/test_notification_dao.py
+++ b/tests/app/dao/test_notification_dao.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from app.models import (
     NOTIFICATION_STATUS_TYPES,
     NOTIFICATION_STATUS_TYPES_FAILED,
     NOTIFICATION_SENT,
+    NOTIFICATION_DELIVERED,
     KEY_TYPE_NORMAL,
     KEY_TYPE_TEAM,
     KEY_TYPE_TEST
@@ -357,28 +358,45 @@ def test_should_update_status_by_id_if_created(notify_db, notify_db_session):
     assert updated.status == 'failed'
 
 
-def test_should_not_update_status_by_reference_if_in_sent_status(notify_db, notify_db_session):
-    notification = sample_notification(
-        notify_db,
-        notify_db_session,
+def test_should_not_update_status_by_reference_if_from_country_with_no_delivery_receipts(sample_template):
+    notification = create_notification(
+        sample_template,
         status=NOTIFICATION_SENT,
         reference='foo'
     )
 
-    update_notification_status_by_reference('foo', 'failed')
-    assert Notification.query.get(notification.id).status == NOTIFICATION_SENT
+    res = update_notification_status_by_reference('foo', 'failed')
+
+    assert res is None
+    assert notification.status == NOTIFICATION_SENT
 
 
-def test_should_not_update_status_by_id_if_in_sent_status(notify_db, notify_db_session):
-    notification = sample_notification(
-        notify_db,
-        notify_db_session,
-        status=NOTIFICATION_SENT
+def test_should_not_update_status_by_id_if_sent_to_country_with_no_delivery_receipts(sample_template):
+    notification = create_notification(
+        sample_template,
+        status=NOTIFICATION_SENT,
+        international=True,
+        phone_prefix='1'  # americans only have carrier delivery receipts
     )
 
-    update_notification_status_by_id(notification.id, 'failed')
+    res = update_notification_status_by_id(notification.id, 'delivered')
 
-    assert Notification.query.get(notification.id).status == NOTIFICATION_SENT
+    assert res is None
+    assert notification.status == NOTIFICATION_SENT
+
+
+def test_should_not_update_status_by_id_if_sent_to_country_with_no_delivery_receipts(sample_template):
+    notification = create_notification(
+        sample_template,
+        status=NOTIFICATION_SENT,
+        international=True,
+        phone_prefix='7'  # russians have full delivery receipts
+    )
+
+    res = update_notification_status_by_id(notification.id, 'delivered')
+
+    assert res == notification
+    assert notification.status == NOTIFICATION_DELIVERED
 
 
 def test_should_not_update_status_by_reference_if_not_sending(notify_db, notify_db_session):
diff --git a/tests/app/service/test_rest.py b/tests/app/service/test_rest.py
index 126e9b948..cbf3eb1b2 100644
--- a/tests/app/service/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/app/service/test_rest.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from tests.app.conftest import (
     sample_notification_history as create_notification_history,
     sample_notification_with_job
 )
-from app.models import KEY_TYPE_NORMAL, KEY_TYPE_TEAM, KEY_TYPE_TEST
+from app.models import Service, KEY_TYPE_NORMAL, KEY_TYPE_TEAM, KEY_TYPE_TEST
 
 from tests.app.db import create_user
 
@@ -216,6 +216,10 @@ def test_create_service(client, sample_user):
     assert json_resp['data']['dvla_organisation'] == '001'
     assert json_resp['data']['sms_sender'] == current_app.config['FROM_NUMBER']
 
+    service_db = Service.query.get(json_resp['data']['id'])
+    assert service_db.name == 'created service'
+    assert service_db.sms_sender == current_app.config['FROM_NUMBER']
+
     auth_header_fetch = create_authorization_header()
 
     resp = client.get(
@@ -1731,3 +1735,19 @@ def test_update_service_does_not_call_send_notification_when_restricted_not_chan
 
     assert resp.status_code == 200
     assert not send_notification_mock.called
+
+
+def test_update_service_works_when_sms_sender_is_null(sample_service, client, mocker):
+    sample_service.sms_sender = None
+    data = {'name': 'new name'}
+
+    resp = client.post(
+        'service/{}'.format(sample_service.id),
+        data=json.dumps(data),
+        headers=[create_authorization_header()],
+        content_type='application/json'
+    )
+
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    # make sure it wasn't changed to not-null under the hood
+    assert sample_service.sms_sender is None