Have O2 stopped charging emoticons as MMS??

[Anonymous]

I know from previous experience that O2 were charging a text as MMS if you added an emoticon but I've sent a few texts with emoticons in the last few days and they've come up as normal text without the usual MMS underneath the message. If I add a photo then it is charged and comes up with MMS underneath (as expected). I've logged into my app also to check if I've been charged but I've only been charged for the one with the photo added. Anyone know for sure before I go crazy daft sending emoticons to all and sundry lol

[jonsie · Accepted solution]

They still charge depending on phone and character count. I can send them on both my Notes as long as the character count is less than 160. The smilies on my phones count as 90 characters for the first one but bizarrely adding others then only count as one character each. I can send a short message of around 60 characters and add up to 10 smilies and it will still go as a sms.

[Anonymous]

Interesting! Thanks for that. I have an S4 so will keep an eye on the character count and see if the same applies to me 

[Cleoriff]

To confirm I recently put this to the test (purely to do a character count)....and its the FIRST smiley that takes more characters (90) Every other smilie/emoticon counted as 1...

So as long as the total message is below 160 it wont cost a thing...(This is using my Note 3)

http://service.o2.co.uk/IQ/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE?New,Kb=Companion,question=ref%28User%29:str%28Mob...

[jonsie]

That's with using the proper emoticons on the keyboard, not the in app ugly critters 

[Anonymous]

Have just tried it.........first emoticon I lose 92 characters then subsequent ones I lose 2 characters per emoticon 

[Cleoriff]

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@jonsie wrote:

That's with using the proper emoticons on the keyboard, not the in app ugly critters 

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I never use those anyway.....my 'test' involved using those on the keyboard.

I would also imagine this is phone dependant....I was using a Samsung phone.

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Have just tried it.........first emoticon I lose 92 characters then subsequent ones I lose 2 characters per emoticon 

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What phone are you using @Anonymous? (As it does appear to be slightly different on each phone)

[Anonymous]

Cleoriff I'm Samsung too.............Galaxy S4

[gindygoo]

It's similar on my Moto G 4G I'm not sure of the character count though as I still cannot find it on this phone.

I'll do a text on the Xperia now as well!