Yes. BulkSMSOnline.com supports long SMS messages, also known as concatenated SMS messages, up to a maximum of 5 SMS parts. This allows businesses to send longer customer notifications, marketing messages, OTP instructions, service alerts, reminders, and transactional SMS content when a single SMS part is not enough.
However, long SMS messages are charged based on the number of SMS parts used. Even if the recipient sees the message as one complete message on their mobile phone, the system and mobile networks still process it as multiple SMS parts.
What Is a Long SMS Message?
A long SMS message is any SMS that exceeds the character limit of a single SMS part. When your message becomes longer than one SMS part, it is automatically divided into multiple parts and then reassembled on the recipient’s phone as one full message where supported by the mobile device and network.
For example, if you send a long English SMS campaign through BulkSMSOnline, the customer may receive it as one readable message, but your account will be charged based on the actual number of SMS parts required to send it.
How Many Characters Are Allowed in One SMS?
The number of characters allowed in one SMS depends on the message encoding. Standard English SMS normally uses GSM encoding, while messages that contain Arabic, Chinese, emojis, special symbols, or other non-GSM characters normally use Unicode encoding.
| SMS Type | One SMS Part | Long SMS Parts | Maximum Supported by BulkSMSOnline |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSM / English SMS | Up to 160 characters | Around 153 characters per part | Up to 5 parts, around 765 characters |
| Unicode SMS | Up to 70 characters | Around 67 characters per part | Up to 5 parts, around 335 characters |
Why Does a Long SMS Use Fewer Characters Per Part?
A normal single English SMS can contain up to 160 characters. However, when the SMS becomes long and needs to be split into multiple parts, a small part of each SMS segment is used by the network to connect the parts together. Because of this, long GSM messages usually allow around 153 characters per part instead of the full 160 characters.
The same rule applies to Unicode SMS. A single Unicode SMS can contain up to 70 characters, but when it becomes a long Unicode SMS, each part usually allows around 67 characters.
How Are Long SMS Messages Charged?
Long SMS messages are charged according to the number of SMS parts used. If your message is divided into 2 parts, it will be charged as 2 SMS credits. If it is divided into 3 parts, it will be charged as 3 SMS credits, and so on, up to the supported maximum number of parts.
For example:
- A short English SMS within 160 characters is usually charged as 1 SMS part.
- A longer English SMS above 160 characters may be charged as 2 or more SMS parts.
- A Unicode SMS above 70 characters may be charged as 2 or more SMS parts.
- A message containing emojis or non-English characters may switch to Unicode and use more parts.
Before sending a large SMS campaign, it is always recommended to check the message length and estimated number of SMS parts to understand the final cost.
Why Did My English SMS Become Unicode?
Sometimes a message may look like a normal English SMS, but it may still be counted as Unicode because it contains special characters, hidden formatting, emojis, copied symbols, smart quotes, or non-GSM characters.
Examples of characters that may affect SMS encoding include:
- Emojis
- Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or other non-Latin characters
- Curly quotation marks
- Special currency symbols
- Unusual punctuation copied from documents or websites
- Accented letters not supported by standard GSM encoding
If your message changes to Unicode, the character limit becomes lower, and the campaign may use more SMS parts than expected.
Can the Customer See the SMS as One Message?
In most cases, yes. Long SMS messages are usually displayed as one complete message on the recipient’s mobile phone. The recipient does not normally see each SMS part separately.
However, this can depend on the mobile device, destination network, route type, and country rules. In some cases, older phones or certain networks may display long SMS messages differently.
Best Practices for Sending Long SMS Messages
Long SMS can be useful, but shorter messages are usually better for cost control, readability, and delivery performance. To get better results from your SMS campaigns, follow these best practices:
- Keep your SMS message short, clear, and direct.
- Use GSM English characters when possible to allow more characters per SMS part.
- Avoid emojis and unnecessary special symbols if you want to reduce SMS parts.
- Check the message length before sending a campaign.
- Test the SMS on a few numbers before sending to a large contact list.
- Use short links carefully and make sure your links are trusted and working.
- Follow destination country rules for sender ID, content, and marketing messages.
When Should You Use Long SMS?
Long SMS messages are useful when your business needs to send more detailed information that cannot fit into a short SMS. Common examples include:
- Appointment instructions
- Delivery updates
- Payment reminders
- Customer service notifications
- OTP instructions with security notes
- Event details
- Marketing offers with terms and conditions
- Important business alerts
For general marketing campaigns, it is often better to keep the message short and include only the most important information.
Does SMS Route Type Affect Long SMS Delivery?
The selected SMS route may affect delivery speed, sender ID behavior, delivery report visibility, and how messages are handled by destination networks. If you are sending long SMS messages for important alerts, OTP messages, or customer notifications, choosing the right SMS route is important.
You can learn more about available route options on the SMS Routing page.
Can I Send Long SMS Through API?
Yes. If you are using the BulkSMSOnline API, you can send long SMS messages programmatically, provided the message does not exceed the supported parts limit. The API will process the message based on the text length, encoding, route, and destination.
When sending by API, make sure your message text is encoded correctly and that your system checks the message length before sending. This helps avoid unexpected SMS part usage and credit deduction.
For API integration details, visit the BulkSMSOnline Developers page.
How to Estimate the Cost of a Long SMS Campaign
To estimate your campaign cost, you need to know three main things:
- The destination country
- The selected SMS route
- The number of SMS parts used per recipient
For example, if one message uses 3 SMS parts and you send it to 1,000 recipients, the campaign may use 3,000 SMS parts in total.
SMS pricing can vary by country and route type. You can check available pricing options on the Bulk SMS Pricing page.
Country Restrictions for Long SMS
Some countries and mobile operators may have specific rules for sender IDs, promotional content, OTP messages, links, Unicode text, and long SMS delivery. Before sending large campaigns, it is recommended to check the destination country requirements and test the message first.
You can browse destination-specific pages through the Bulk SMS Countries section.
Need Help With Long SMS Messages?
If you are not sure why your message is being counted as multiple parts, or if you need help with message length, Unicode characters, delivery reports, sender ID, or route selection, you can check our Bulk SMS FAQs or visit the BulkSMSOnline Help Center.
For account-specific support, you can contact our team through the Contact Us page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can BulkSMSOnline send long SMS messages?
Yes. BulkSMSOnline supports long SMS messages up to a maximum of 5 SMS parts.
How many characters are allowed in one English SMS?
A standard GSM English SMS can contain up to 160 characters in one part. When the message becomes long and is split into multiple parts, each part usually allows around 153 characters.
How many characters are allowed in one Unicode SMS?
A Unicode SMS can contain up to 70 characters in one part. When the message becomes long and is split into multiple parts, each part usually allows around 67 characters.
Will the customer receive long SMS as one message?
In most cases, the customer will see the long SMS as one complete message. However, display behavior may depend on the recipient’s mobile device, mobile network, and destination country.
Are long SMS messages charged as one SMS?
No. Long SMS messages are charged based on the number of SMS parts used. A 2-part message is charged as 2 SMS parts, and a 3-part message is charged as 3 SMS parts.
Why did my message use more credits than expected?
Your message may have exceeded one SMS part, or it may have included Unicode characters, emojis, special symbols, or non-GSM characters. This can reduce the number of characters allowed per part and increase the total SMS parts used.
Can I send long SMS through the BulkSMSOnline API?
Yes. You can send long SMS messages through the BulkSMSOnline API, but your system should check message length, encoding, destination, route, and expected SMS parts before sending.