What is the maximum character length per SMS message?
- 22 Jun 2022
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What is the maximum character length per SMS message?
- Updated on 22 Jun 2022
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What is the maximum character length per SMS message?
SMS messages are split into multiple segments after the first 160 regular characters (GSM 7 character set). The split units (segments) are used for cost calculation. Most phones will automatically stitch the messages together so the end user doesn’t even realize it was multiple segments that were sent.
If it's only 1 segment, you get 160 characters. If it's multiple segments you get 153 per segment. The 7 characters are used for metadata to allow the carriers and phones to stitch the messages back together.
The maximum allowed number of segments allowed through US carriwer networks is 20 segments.
| Number of segments | Qty regular Characters |
|---|---|
| 1 segment | 160 characters |
| 2 segments | 306 characters |
| 3 segments | 459 characters |
| 4 segments | 612 characters |
Important Information
If the message contains at least one special character (non-GSM 7) the segment allowance decreases and each segment can only contain 67 characters. Having shorter segments can increase costs significantly.
This is specially relevant for non-English programs that may contain accents in the message.
If a special character is detected when typing your message, the Message field at the Script Page will show a red alert indicating the special character(s) found. See example below.
Please contact us at support@echo19.com if you have any question
