Normal sms converted in to mms when sent as a group message

[Anonymous]

Just end up with a fat charge because I sent a short sms as group message to around 30 people, my iPhone apparently converted in to mms, 02 charged me, I don't know why 02 allow that, I am going to complain to Ombdusman, this shouldn't happen.

[Anonymous]

Just as a matter of interest (and I hope I am not straying too far OT) I searched O2 website to see if I could find a definition of SMS especially as to the maximum number of characters a text message may contain.  Finding nothing helpful I went on to Live Chat and was informed that that information is  " .... not available on our website as it's universally available, it's same with all service provider and with phone manufacturure."   

I do not know enough about the technological aspects but I find it hard to believe that there are any hardware or software reasons why a SMS may NOT contain more than 160 characters.  If that is true then why have phone manufacturers and/or service providers not used this to make their phones/service more attractive to customers?  Is there some sort of cartel or other commercial agreement covering all the players?

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous again an excellent post.

SMS have always been 160 characters. In the early days many phones "split" longer messages. Indeed I remember sending one that was 1600 characters and my phone split it into texts.

However of late as phones and software have developed there is generally a limit of 480 characters (3 text split) before it becomes what is known as a long text and as such chargeable as an MMS.

I don't think you went off topic at all and was an excellent post.

[Cleoriff]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Just as a matter of interest (and I hope I am not straying too far OT) I searched O2 website to see if I could find a definition of SMS especially as to the maximum number of characters a text message may contain.  Finding nothing helpful I went on to Live Chat and was informed that that information is  " .... not available on our website as it's universally available, it's same with all service provider and with phone manufacturure."   

I do not know enough about the technological aspects but I find it hard to believe that there are any hardware or software reasons why a SMS may NOT contain more than 160 characters.  If that is true then why have phone manufacturers and/or service providers not used this to make their phones/service more attractive to customers?  Is there some sort of cartel or other commercial agreement covering all the players?

---

Very good point @Anonymous  I think personally that the reason they stick to a set number of characters, is so they can charge customers over the odds when they stray from the path...

Then, of course, they make a large profit at our expense?...:smileysad:

[MI5]

It is actually due to the limitations of SMS/MMS service.
Remember these were introduced back in 1992 and by definition "short message service" only intended for short messages.
EMS (enhanced message service) was introduced to try and overcome this but never took off because by that time people had moved to email as mainstream and now there are many other applications (whatsapp, BBM etc) that can handle "enhanced messages" over a data connection and not relying solely on a 2g network.

[Cleoriff]

---

@MI5 wrote:
It is actually due to the limitations of SMS/MMS service.
Remember these were introduced back in 1992 and by definition "short message service" only intended for short messages.
EMS (enhanced message service) was introduced to try and overcome this but never took off because by that time people had moved to email as mainstream and now there are many other applications (whatsapp, BBM etc) that can handle "enhanced messages" over a data connection and not relying solely on a 2g network.

---

And thank you for sharing that....I never knew...and now I do....:smileywink:

[Anonymous]

---

@MI5 wrote:
It is actually due to the limitations of SMS/MMS service.
Remember these were introduced back in 1992 and by definition "short message service" only intended for short messages.

---

Makes one wonder what is the difference (from O2's perspective) between allowing unlimited SMS of 160 characters  and offering a specified number (say 20,000) texts of double or triple the number of characters?

But with an average monthly text usage around 200 I have to  wonder even more why bother asking such questions?     Perhaps I should be reviewing my tariff instead!   

[Anonymous]

---

@Cleoriff wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Just as a matter of interest (and I hope I am not straying too far OT) I searched O2 website to see if I could find a definition of SMS especially as to the maximum number of characters a text message may contain.  Finding nothing helpful I went on to Live Chat and was informed that that information is  " .... not available on our website as it's universally available, it's same with all service provider and with phone manufacturure."   

I do not know enough about the technological aspects but I find it hard to believe that there are any hardware or software reasons why a SMS may NOT contain more than 160 characters.  If that is true 

---

Very good point @Anonymous  I think personally that the reason they stick to a set number of characters, is so they can charge customers over the odds when they stray from the path...

Then, of course, they make a large profit at our expense?...:smileysad:

A mobile network making a large profit at our expense? Who would ever have thought we would see the day? 

But I do remember in the past sensing sms that were between 7 and 10 x 160 characters and I wasn't charged for them. Then in came what I recall were "long text messages" that were charged (by vodafone) at 15p each. 

---

[jonsie]

In the past before smart phones, all sms no matter the length, we're sent as multiple sms of 160 characters,

Ie. A 1000 character text was sent as 7 texts. 

6 x 160

1 x 40

[MI5]

There was a time when the phone would stop you from entering anymore than 160 characters, then it got extended to 480 before text input was prevented and now you can sens the entire volume of war and peace

[Cleoriff]

---

@MI5 wrote:
There was a time when the phone would stop you from entering anymore than 160 characters, then it got extended to 480 before text input was prevented and now you can sens the entire volume of war and peace

---

At a cost to you of course.....unless you are on Unlimited....?