SMS Character Limit

[AndyMax]

Has anyone else noticed that the Pre seems to have less than the usual 160 character limit when sending SMS text messages? It appears to break it up into two messages at around 139-140 characters.

[Donatom3]

Originally Posted by AndyMax

Has anyone else noticed that the Pre seems to have less than the usual 160 character limit when sending SMS text messages? It appears to break it up into two messages at around 139-140 characters.

It only does that if you go over 160 because it has to add in the "message 1 of 2" part. Remember SMS's 160 character limit is imposed by the technology used to actually send the message from the tower itself, and has nothing to do with a limit of the phones. It's part of the extra code space that they have when the tower sends the registration packets to your phone.

[Blaqdymun]

Originally Posted by Donatom3

It only does that if you go over 160 because it has to add in the "message 1 of 2" part. Remember SMS's 160 character limit is imposed by the technology used to actually send the message from the tower itself, and has nothing to do with a limit of the phones. It's part of the extra code space that they have when the tower sends the registration packets to your phone.

Did you know that? I didn't know that! Thanks For The Explanation.

[Link9228]

Originally Posted by Donatom3

It only does that if you go over 160 because it has to add in the "message 1 of 2" part. Remember SMS's 160 character limit is imposed by the technology used to actually send the message from the tower itself, and has nothing to do with a limit of the phones. It's part of the extra code space that they have when the tower sends the registration packets to your phone.

Not true. Many dumb phones nowadays allow for many more characters than 160. For example my razr could send up to 7 times the 160 character limit, and it was sent and received as one text message. According to an article I read, the 160 characters was a limit created back in the 80s when wireless networks didn't have much data to work with. Nowadays, a single phone call, lasting only one minute, uses just as much data as 600 text messages.

I'm actually trying to figure out how I can change the 160 character limit on my phone, because I know my network can handle WAY more than that in the form of a single sms.

[ajk511]

Originally Posted by Link9228

According to an article I read, the 160 characters was a limit created back in the 80s when wireless networks didn't have much data to work with.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_messaging


History

Many companies have claimed to have sent the very first text message, but according to a former employee of NASA, Edward Lantz, the first was sent via a simple Motorola beeper in 1989 by Raina Forteni from New York City to Melbourne Beach, Florida using upside down numbers that could be read as words and sounds. The first SMS typed on a GSM phone is claimed to have been sent by Riku Pihkonen, an engineer student at Nokia, in 1993.
Initial growth of text messaging was slow, with customers in 1995 sending on average only 0.4 messages per GSM customer per month.[1] One factor in the slow take-up of SMS was that operators were slow to set up charging systems, especially for prepaid subscribers, and eliminate billing fraud which was possible by changing SMSC settings on individual handsets to use the SMSCs of other operators. Over time, this issue was eliminated by switch-billing instead of billing at the SMSC and by new features within SMSCs to allow blocking of foreign mobile users sending messages through it. By the end of 2000, the average number of messages per user reached 35

[Link9228]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_message_service

SMS as used on modern handsets was originally defined as part of the GSM series of standards in 1985[1] as a means of sending messages of up to 160 characters (including spaces), to and from GSM mobile handsets.[2] Since then, support for the service has expanded to include other mobile technologies such as ANSI CDMA networks and Digital AMPS, as well as satellite and landline networks.[citation needed] Most SMS messages are mobile-to-mobile text messages, though the standard supports other types of broadcast messaging as well.

[ajk511]

Gayyyyy. Which Wiki do you believe? lol

[Link9228]

I believe both of them. SMS and text messaging are slightly different, otherwise there wouldn't be two wiki articles. I just think it's stupid that a technology created in the 80s hasn't advanced much. I mean, we have picture and video messaging now... but why can't carriers allow us to send normal texts that are longer and don't require a data connection?

I know verizon to verizon, normal texts can be up to 1000 characters. I think they might split them and stitch them back together again... but I'm not sure.

[codybear]

Originally Posted by Link9228

I believe both of them. SMS and text messaging are slightly different, otherwise there wouldn't be two wiki articles. I just think it's stupid that a technology created in the 80s hasn't advanced much. I mean, we have picture and video messaging now... but why can't carriers allow us to send normal texts that are longer and don't require a data connection?

I know verizon to verizon, normal texts can be up to 1000 characters. I think they might split them and stitch them back together again... but I'm not sure.

it's simple.it's a money maker.
most people don't know it can handle more than 160 characters.
and most people will not pay for texting when they send a few here and there.
I mean how many people would really need to pay for text messaging if you could write a novel in one text?

[Link9228]

True, actually, the place that I heard that a single 1 minute phone call takes as much data as 600 texts was from my local news. I've also heard that law makers are going to force carriers to lower the price of texts and MMS. They've actually doubled in price in the last few years. That will only affect people without messaging plans, but still, it's a step in the right direction.