SMS - Message Segments

Updated: August 12, 2024

SMS (short message service) is a telephony feature that allows for the sending of text and/or image messages to mobile devices. It's an essential feature for agents and contacts to create connections and build relationships that are mutually beneficial. It's also important to remember that while sending SMS is easy, it comes with a cost that managers need to understand. In this article we explore the concept of "Message Segments."

SMS is sent in batches of 160 characters known as "Message Segments." Most modern phones and networks support concatenation where text messages larger than 160 characters are split up and reassembled through a process called "Multipart Messaging." This process allows the receiver to see one large text message instead of broken message segments. While this may seem like one message is being sent, if there are 161 characters in the body of the message, that now becomes two message segments instead of one.

When messages exceed the 160 character limit, and split into multiple message segments, they're billed accordingly. For example, if a message of 161 characters makes two message segments, then the message will be charged for two messages.

Our platform has an SMS character counter located on the lower-right side of the message body field. As the agent types their message, the counter updates the value in real-time. When 161 is reached, the following message is displayed.



Conclusion

It's important to be aware of message segments and its billing. Under Reports > SMS Logs, you may see, for example, 5 outbound text messages and see 10 (or more) under "Billable Quantity" on your invoice. Keep an eye on the 160 character limit. Here are a few tips: try using contractions when possible ("it's" instead of "it is"), write short and concise sentences, and use numeric values instead of written numbers when possible ("3" instead of "three"). For any questions regarding SMS, reach out to our support team.