How many characters can your phone/network text before it turns into a MMS?

MoneyMoomin

I use an Android mobile and I am able to send 918 characters before the SMS gets converted into an MMS. Before that, it will send as a single long message but is billed as 6 SMS messages.

On an iPhone 4S I could send much fewer characters before it switched to MMS. Can any iPhone send upto 918 characters as an SMS or are they restricted to a lower amount?

You can see what I mean by this quick phone screen video I made smsormms.netlify.com/smstomms.mp4
Can anyone copy the 500, 750 and 918 characters and see if it converts to MMS and post what phone you use? smsormms.netlify.com/ (You don't have to send a message, just see if it says SMS or MMS like in my video)

This would be so helpful and allow my friend not to be whacked by a massive MMS charge when they send me long correspondence in one go.

DollyTheSheep

I pasted all those characters (500,750 and 918) and it still showed as an SMS. I use an Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 on o2 running Android 8.1. I used to have an iPhone SE and recall this may have been a problem with long texts, Orange back then charged about 40p for an MMS!! :-)

Your links aren't clickable, they need https adding to them

https://smsormms.netlify.com/
https://smsormms.netlify.com/smstomms.mp4

MoneyMoomin

Thank You Dolly, Any iPhone users out there who could try this please?

Jon_01

Most, if not all, Android text apps have a setting asking if you want to turn long sms's into mms's. Have you checked the settings in your texting app?

Frozen_up_north

On an iPhone you can turn MMS messaging off in the settings (I guess everyone will to avoid the daft network charges), as to a network converting long SMS messages into a single MMS one (as opposed to splitting it into several SMS ones) that’s a network, not a phone issue.

Who sends long SMS messages anyway? SMS is so last century and seems inappropriate for anything more than very basic messages and even then you have no indication of successful delivery. Also, as you are charged a large sum for SMS texts to overseas networks, anyone “texting” friends on foreign networks is going to use WhatsApp or similar.

mobilejunkie

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

Who sends long SMS messages anyway? SMS is so last century and seems inappropriate for anything more than very basic messages and even then you have no indication of successful delivery.

Gosh, what rubbish. I use SMS's every day and easily get message delivery confirmation. Guess I should "upgrade" to avoid being a dinosaur.

MoneyMoomin

I imagine many don't opt to have MMS switched off or even now there was that option. What is the character limit on an iPhone before it turns into MMS?

Are you able to compose long SMS or able paste those 500, 750 and 918 characters in without it turning into MMS on a later iPhone version?

Frozen_up_north

MoneyMoomin wrote: »

I imagine many don't opt to have MMS switched off or even now there was that option. What is the character limit on an iPhone before it turns into MMS?

Are you able to compose long SMS or able paste those 500, 750 and 918 characters in without it turning into MMS on a later iPhone version?

No idea as I have MMS turned off and don’t intend to turn it on for a test as MMS message are chargeable and not included in my bundle.

Mobile Junkie: SMS delivery confirmation depends on whether the recipient has set delivery confirmation on or not. Networks offer no timescale for delivering SMS messages, they are only slightly more reliable than using a written message in a bottle.

virgo17

DollyTheSheep wrote: »

Your links aren't clickable, they need https adding to them

As a new user he/she can't post clickable links yet, even in the full format.

MoneyMoomin

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

No idea as I have MMS turned off and don’t intend to turn it on for a test as MMS message are chargeable and not included in my bundle.

No worries Frozen and thanks for your posts.

Just a note, you don't have to send an MMS at all. Just paste it an SMS and see if it says SMS or MMS like I did in my little video.

mobilejunkie

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

Mobile Junkie: SMS delivery confirmation depends on whether the recipient has set delivery confirmation on or not.

Actually it depends on whether you select it on settings. Nothing to do with the recipient.