Length of text message ?

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Level 1

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Length of text message ?

Hello All,
Could somebody kindly let me know what the maximum length a text message can be. On my old Nokia N95 it told you automatically when you came to the end of a page and how many letters you had left on that text message. I have sent text messages to friends and then later they have told me they didn't receive the whole message, so, my question is, is their a maximum length and how do you know when you have reached the maximum.

Many thanks in advance. Maggi

iMac 2.8GHz 24" and 3G iPhone, Mac OS X (10.5.4)

Posted on Aug 26, 2008 8:59 AM

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Answer 1

drsailer

Level 4

1,537 points

Aug 26, 2008 9:03 AM in response to MaggiFW

Maggi,

In the U.S., the max is 160 characters, or about 4 lines on the iPhone SMS screen. On AT&T, if a text message goes beyond the limit, a second (or third) message will also be sent so that the recipient receives the entire message. It sounds like that is not the practice in the U.K.

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Answer 2

MaggiFW Author

Level 1

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Aug 26, 2008 9:20 AM in response to drsailer

Hmm 4 lines of text doesn't sound very much and as there is no counter attached to the message this makes it a little bit more complicated to know if you have gone over the limit. I don't mind there being a maximum in which extra pages are classed as extra text messages it's just that if there is no notification that you have passed your limit the receiver of the text message just gets half of the message without the sender knowing. I must say as much as I am getting used to the iPhone I don't think the texting of messages seems too hot on this phone of the future!!
Many thanks for taking the time to reply.
Maggi

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Answer 3

Aug 26, 2008 10:20 AM in response to MaggiFW

I wondered the same thing. My old Nokia 6230 used to tell me when I had started a new text. In the UK, it is the same practice as in the USA, 02 will just send the next bit of the text on a another message. it just would be nice to see how many you are sending! don't forget, apple make computers, not phones, they're not used to this sort of thing. the iphone is basically a computer with a phone attached. nokias are phone with computer possibilities. it may come in a update in the future, who knows.
G

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Answer 4

Aug 26, 2008 12:20 PM in response to gareth_sheep

I don't buy this 'Apple make computers and not used to this' thing.
They must have done their homework or owned phones of their own that had this facility.

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Answer 5

bsj72

Level 1

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Aug 26, 2008 1:38 PM in response to MaggiFW

there is no "warning" as to when you have hit the 160 character limit. on my iphone i just type away and if it is beyond that limit it sends it in multiple messages to others, although you won't see it that way. and when i send a long message to friends with an iphone it comes up as one big long message to read

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Answer 6

MaggiFW Author

Level 1

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Aug 27, 2008 2:49 AM in response to bsj72

I don't buy it either that Apple are really a computer manufacturer. The key is in the title, iPhone so if you are a multi million dollar company and you are going to produce a phone calling it the phone of the future at least get the basics right.
With Apples excellent track record together with the iPhone marketing campaign I didn't check on the following things:-

1. Will I actually hear the phone when a call comes through.
2. Can I forward a text message
3. How long can a text message be and will there be a character count.

This is such basic stuff and without these facilities how for goodness sake can you call it the phone of the future!!!!

Sorry for the rant !! Maggi

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