topic Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts in Apple

Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:12:41 GMT

I've just been sent a bill for £52 for a group text that my daughter sent on her ipHone 4. Having phoned o2 it would appear that the following are considered as MMS and not SMS and charged at 35p:

1) Group texts (4+ people)

2) Texts more than 160 characters. This is ridiculous given that the contract I signed up for was for "Unlimited texts and phone calls" and I was not made aware of this 'scam'.

3) The expected texts with images etc.

O2 have cancelled £50 of the £52 bill, but the contract remains as it is. Is there any way around this? My daughter now has a character count on her texts, but 160 is small and only 4-5 lines. This is worse than her previous simplicity contract!

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Liquid — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:26:01 GMT

SMS is still defined as up to 160 characters.(used to be lower). Only way around this is to not send group texts and to use iMessage where possible.

You were lucky they reduced your bill:)

It's not a scam promise.

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

perksie — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:33:06 GMT

Images in texts make them MMS which were included in some older packages.

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 16:02:00 GMT

A standard SMS (text) by definition is a 160-character message. Most phones will let you write more than this, and split into 2/3/4/5 seperate texts for sending purposes (Nokias etc). Some phones will turn it into an MMS (picture message) - Samsung/Apple for example).

It differs on a phone-by-phone basis, and isn't the network's fault that it happens.

Kudos to them for giving you a reduction on your bill, wouldn't expect them to do it for you again in future though so be careful.

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:45:24 GMT

It's normal & is right to pay the amount. do you have any inclusive text allowance, more than one lot of 160 will be classed as a group text or mms so unless you use Imessage this what is chargeable & right

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:55:15 GMT

Surely a group text should be included in unlimited texts what does it matter how many people you send it to if its unlimited. Pictures yes obviously are mms but texts are texts no matter which way you look at it

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Liquid — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:19:05 GMT

Agreed. It's mainly down to the phone not O2.

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:10:55 GMT

My daughter has the same problem, she has unlimited texts but when she sent the same text to 34 friends at the same time she was charged approx £8! O2 are investigating but I cant understand what the difference is in including 34 people in 1 text to sending 34 people individual texts!

I got an iphone 5 for Christmas and have been charged for sending texts (even thought I have unlimited!) but my texts were to 1 person only and had less than 50 characters! Was told to switch off imessage as sometimes it thinks texts are MMS! Absolutely ridiculous that im worried about sending texts incase it starts to incorrectly charge me 30p for each one! Feel like sending the thing back and going back to my Blackberry!

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Liquid — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:32:57 GMT

Unfortunatly apple are just as much to blame with iOS in this problem.

Nokia and android both split long txts or group messaging into single txts and send them in sequence. iOS is lazy and just sends it as it is hence everything being converted to mms.

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 06:38:12 GMT

The usual advice is to turn off the MMS option in the iPhones settings and refrain from using the group function in messages.

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:14:00 GMT

You know it's bad when the only solution is to reduce your phones ability or refrain from using some of it's features... 😞

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 10:15:54 GMT

Use 'WhatsApp' everything is free, no matter how long the message, picture messages, you can send photographs, videos, even voice messages and last but certainly not least, you can message anywhere in the world!!!! Even the app is free! Only drawback is that, obviously, you have to have an Wi-Fi connection.
Nevertheless, if you use this whenever your on Wi-Fi then the networks are exempt from charging you for anything to do with messages...fantastic and.... no, I don't have any affiliation with the App, just a great fan!
I'm a massive fan

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 10:27:45 GMT

Ha, Ta-Dah!! Never thought of that! Does that mean that if you send a text message that is over the 160 count, it just won't send?? Will I be informed it hasn't sent... and why?? I'm on iPhone 5 and have 'character count' ON, yet I cannot see the count during text messaging...why?

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

adamtemp64 — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 10:58:16 GMT

Strange just checked my 5s and after you finish the first line the count shows

and it will allow you to send one sms as long as you like it will not stop at over 160.

Why this happens

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 17:36:13 GMT

I'm confused by this! I have an iPhone 5 and I've sent quite a lot of messages that are over 160 characters and I haven't been charged! They definitely haven't been sent as MMS as I have that turned off.

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

MI5 — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 17:53:38 GMT

If you turn off MMS it won't - That's what we try and advise people

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 13:38:42 GMT

Doh! I presumed that the text wouldn't be sent! Thanks for clearing up my confusion MI5!

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

perksie — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 13:53:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Doh! I presumed that the text wouldn't be sent! Thanks for clearing up my confusion MI5!

They split into an extra text if you go over the 160 limit.

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

Anonymous — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 14:39:45 GMT

Thanks Perksie - feeling a tad embarrassed now!

Re: Iphone charges at 35p for 160+ character texts and group texts

perksie — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 14:51:05 GMT

No reason for that, I only found out that kind of stuff on here!