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

[Anonymous]

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!

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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?

[adamtemp64]

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

[Anonymous]

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.

[MI5]

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

[Anonymous]

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

[perksie]

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

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

[Anonymous]

Thanks Perksie - feeling a tad embarrassed now!

[perksie]

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