Reasons for High SMS Costs
Reason 1: Sending Long SMS
An SMS is divided into segments, each 160 characters long. If your message exceeds 160 characters, it will use multiple segments, increasing your cost. For example, a message with 161 characters counts as two segments. The character limit for segments may vary by country and region, which can also affect costs.
Reason 2: Hidden Characters in SMS Text
When copying and pasting text from editors like MS Word or Google Docs, hidden characters may be included in the SMS text. These unseen characters can increase the segment count. For example, copying "Hey there" from a webpage may include hidden characters, making it four segments instead of one. Use the message segment calculator to check the actual number of segments and characters. It’s recommended to use the "paste as plain text" option when pasting into the Pest AI CRM text editor.
Reason 3: Using Emojis
Emojis can significantly increase the number of segments in an SMS. For example, using emojis may change a message from one segment to four. While emojis can make your messages more engaging, be mindful of the additional costs.
Reason 4: Using Picture Attachments
Sending a picture message (MMS) includes both SMS and MMS carrier fees. For instance, if your message text is two segments long, you will be charged $0.0194 for the text plus $0.02 for the picture, totaling $0.0394 per message. Additional carrier fees for MMS messages and phone numbers may also apply.
These fees are part of A2P-10DLC compliance and are beyond our control.