I had a similar experience when I first tried using a virtual number for SMS tests. It was really frustrating because the messages either didn't come through properly or there were restrictions that made the results unreliable. I switched to using an actual SIM card, specifically eSIM Europe, and it made a huge difference. If you haven't tried it yet, give
Simify a look—they offer some pretty good options for eSIMs that work well across Europe. The messages were delivered consistently and accurately, which is super important for testing.