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Accidental MMS Sending and How to Avoid it.

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Hopefully this guide will help with understanding why sometimes you may inadvertently send an MMS (chargeable) instead of an SMS (usually free from allowances).

 

First we need to understand the difference.

 

An SMS is a normal text only text message (short message service).

An MMS is an SMS that contains a picture, short video clip or any type of “media” (multi media service).

 

One standard SMS is 160 characters. Most phones have a character count (sometimes you need to go into settings and turn it on) that will display how many characters you have typed. 

It will be in the format “20/160”. If you go over  160 your phone will automatically add another blank SMS which doubles your character count to 320.

This will happen up to a maximum of 3 times meaning the maximum “single” SMS you can send contains 480 characters. However, it will take 3 SMS messages from your allowance, or charge you for 3 SMS messages.

If you go over 3 SMS (480 characters) your phone “might” auto convert to an MMS format which is because in MMS format, more data can be sent.

Again, on some phones, Samsung in particular, you can turn off the auto MMS conversion function if you don’t want it to happen. You can also set a “warning” that an SMS will be converted – watch for a pop up on screen when this happens.

 

Adding “Emoticons”

 

An emoticon is a smiley face, a thumbs up or any other tiny picture that many people like to add to their SMS messages.

THESE ARE THE BIGGEST SINGLE SOURCE OF ACCIDENTAL MMS SENDING.

Adding an emoticon by itself won’t, in many cases, force the message into MMS format, but, what it will do, is eat up your character count.

A simple smiley face or wink will use 90 characters.

With this in mind it is easy to see how just by adding 3 emoticons actually reduces your character count to only 210 letters (that’s not much!)

You can avoid this by inserting a smiley using keyboard characters rather than hitting the emoticon key and choosing a picture. A smile can be written as : ) or a wink as ; ) 

On some phones you will find 2 versions of emoticons (pretty ones and basic ones).

The basic ones will use less characters but you should always keep your eye on character count and auto MMS conversion.

 

Group Messages

Another popular way of sending an MMS unintentionally is by sending a group message.

O2 recommends that you send group texts in baches of five recipients to prevent this.

 

Turning Off

If you are not interested in sending (or receiving) MMS messages at all you can either turn off the option in settings (most phones provide this function) or disable the MMS apn.

 

Under your phones network settings you will see a section called “access point names” or “apn’s”. You will see either one or two apn’s listed. If you have two, the second one will be the MMS control. If you only have one the MMS control will be down the bottom of the apn settings. Just highlight the apn and choose “edit”.

 

Look for:

MMSC - http://mmsc.mms.o2.co.uk:8002
MMS Proxy - 
82.132.254.1
MMS Port – 
8080

 

and insert a * or # at the beginning of each line.

This will disable the apn completely but you will be able to easily edit it back again if needed at any time.

 

Alternatives

Other options are available these days and MMS is old clunky tech that can be avoided.

BBM, Whatsapp, Facebook, Viber email etc are all popular alternatives for sending pictures, video’s and large files that will use your data allowance and therefore will prevent the additional charges generated by an MMS message.

 

I’ve tried to cover as much as possible in this guide, but as always, I will have missed a scenario, so feel free to add any more tips or instances where you have found an MMS appearing where you were expecting an SMS.

Link to O2 offcial advice here

I have no affiliation whatsoever with O2 or any subsidiary companies. Comments posted are entirely of my own opinion. This is not Customer Service so we are unable to help with account specific issues.

Currently using:
Pixel 7a (O2 & Lyca), One Plus 6 (Sfr), iPhone 12 Pro Max (Vodafone)
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MI5
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From the screen that lists your apn's press + at top right of screen.
Call it "O2 mobile web" and just set apn to "mobile.o2.co.uk"
Do not set anything else and save the new apn.
Go back to the apn screen and select the one you just created.
I have no affiliation whatsoever with O2 or any subsidiary companies. Comments posted are entirely of my own opinion. This is not Customer Service so we are unable to help with account specific issues.

Currently using:
Pixel 7a (O2 & Lyca), One Plus 6 (Sfr), iPhone 12 Pro Max (Vodafone)
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Anonymous
Not applicable

Me again, sorry!

 

I've done exactly as you told me (twice!) and it still didn't stop the automatic conversion to an MMS message! I'm definitely going to take it to Carphone Warehouse to get it sorted. If I can't then it's a change of phone and/or contract. You have been so patient and I am grateful for your perseverance on my behalf.

 

Best wishes 

Carol

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MI5
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Yes, phone will still convert it but without the correct apn, it won't send (and therefore you won't be charged).
Only you can adjust the way the write text messages to avoid the conversion.
I have no affiliation whatsoever with O2 or any subsidiary companies. Comments posted are entirely of my own opinion. This is not Customer Service so we are unable to help with account specific issues.

Currently using:
Pixel 7a (O2 & Lyca), One Plus 6 (Sfr), iPhone 12 Pro Max (Vodafone)
Message 33 of 35
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Anonymous
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I have followed the advice which is great thank you.  However......when I came to add a * or# in front of the 8080 there isn't a way to do that on my J5. Tried to copy it in from elsewhere but removes the #.  How do I do this??

 

Thanks.

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MI5
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If the apn is being called directly from the sim you may have to delete the line completely.
Open the apn and select edit from the menu button, delete the line from the apn then press menu and save (or done) before exiting.
I have no affiliation whatsoever with O2 or any subsidiary companies. Comments posted are entirely of my own opinion. This is not Customer Service so we are unable to help with account specific issues.

Currently using:
Pixel 7a (O2 & Lyca), One Plus 6 (Sfr), iPhone 12 Pro Max (Vodafone)
Message 35 of 35
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