What is a SMS on a cell phone?

SMS stands for Short Message Service and is commonly known as texting. It's a way to send text-only messages of up to 160 characters between phones. Play video. Close video.

What is the difference between a text message and a SMS message?

Short Message Service (SMS) & Text Messaging (Texting) are the same thing. It is a means of sending short messages to and from mobile phones. SMS was originally defined as part of the GSM series of standards in 1985 as a means of sending messages of up to 160 characters, to and from GSM mobile handsets.

What does SMS do on your phone?

SMS allows for text messages of 160 characters (letters, numbers, and symbols) in length. Or for other alphabets with a wider range of characters, such as Chinese or Arabic, the maximum message size is limited to just 70 characters.

Is a text an SMS?

SMS stands for Short Message Service and is another name for a text message. An SMS is generally sent from one mobile device to another over the cellular network. SMS is a text-only standard first formalized in 1985 in the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standards.

Where is SMS on my phone?

In general, Android SMS are stored in a database in the data folder located in the internal memory of the Android phone. However, the location of the database might vary from phone to phone.

What is SMS (text messaging)?

What happens if I turn off SMS on iPhone?

When you disable SMS, the iMessage system automatically takes over, and sends and receives messages using your cellular or Wi-Fi data connection. To ensure you don't receive any text messages through SMS, you can also disable your cellular data connection to force your iPhone to use an available Wi-Fi network.

How do I turn SMS on?

How do I turn off SMS?

Do you get charged for SMS text messages?

Sometimes you might get charged for a text message even though most texts are included free in your plan or you have plenty of allowance left. This is often because your phone has converted your text (SMS) to a picture message (MMS). Picture messages aren't included in your plan.

How does a person know that he has got an SMS?

If you can't find the Advanced Messaging option, go to your phone's settings and type in Advanced Messaging in the search bar. This should take you right to it. Now, you can see if your text message was delivered, if the other person read it, and if they're typing.

Does SMS use internet?

Sending text via SMS allows you to communicate in areas with poor or no internet because SMS does not require data to send texts. Its 160-character limit makes messages short and concise. It is cheaper, almost free since most mobile network carriers offer free texting plans.

Should I use SMS or MMS?

Informational messages are also better sent via SMS because the text should be all you need, though if you have a promotional offer, it may be better to consider an MMS message. These image messages are also better for lengthy messages as you won't be able to send more than 160 characters in an SMS.

Does SMS work over Wi-Fi?

Tip: You can send texts over Wi-Fi even if you don't have cell service. Just use Messages as you normally would. If you're not connected to Wi-Fi, make sure cellular data is turned on: On your Android device, open the Settings app.

Should SMS and MMS be turned on my iPhone?

MMS – multimedia messaging service – allows you to send pictures and other media via text, as well as send longer texts. If you have a limited data plan or poor internet connection, and iMessage isn't working on your iPhone, you should turn off iMessage and use MMS instead.

What is an SMS phone number?

For most consumers, their "SMS phone number" is simply their mobile phone number. With the growing awareness that SMS communication holds a global and growing share in the communications market, however, various entities have been adopting "Short Codes" to generate revenue in exchange for value-added services.

How do I know if my text messages are being blocked?

You can get through by using another person's phone number – Try calling the individual from a different number. If there's an error message, it's likely the phone is disconnected. If the call goes through just fine; you've been blocked. The Read Receipts – This works for iPhones and newer Androids.

Is SMS free on Wi-Fi?

With WiFi you can basically do anything for free which include texting. However, you can't use your traditional texting apps to do this. Texting from your smartphone in another country means you will pay to send and receive texts messages if you send a traditional SMS.

Does SMS cost money iPhone?

To send iMessages, you need a data plan, or you can send them over WiFi. If you use WiFi, there's no cost, but if you use your cellphone's data, it's deducted from your data plan. Sending pictures or videos over iMessage can use a lot of data very quickly. iMessage is located in the default messages app on your iPhone.

Does it cost to send photos by text?

Chat apps like these use your phone's internet connection, so if you're on Wi-Fi it won't cost you anything. If you send an MMS when you're out about, the data you use will simply come out of your monthly allowance.

How do I get rid of SMS on my Android phone?

Open Messages. Locate the conversation that has the message you want to delete then tap on it. Touch and hold the message you want to delete. Tap the trash can to delete the message.

Why am I not receiving SMS on my phone?

Steps to follow when Android is not receiving text messages:

Clear the cache from your text app. Make sure your SIM card is inserted properly. Ensure your phone is not in Airplane Mode. Confirm that your carrier supports SMS and MMS messaging.

How do I find my SMS on my Android phone?

Most devices already have a shortcut to this app on your device's home screen, usually in the drawer at the bottom of the screen. It usually looks like a speech bubble or an envelope with the words Messaging below it. Tapping on this app will open your text messages allowing you to read, send and reply to any messages.

Why are my messages green?

You'll always see green when writing to Android users, or when you're not connected to the internet. If all of your iPhone messages are green, you should make sure iMessage is turned on in Settings.

Are SMS safe?

SMS messages aren't encrypted, meaning the contents of each text message are viewable to mobile carriers and governments, and can even be intercepted by organized and semi-skilled hackers. That means even if you're using SMS to secure your online accounts using two-factor authentication, your codes can be stolen.

Why are some of my texts green and some are blue?

Since Android and other carriers operate within the SMS and MMS standards of text communication, these green texts are more versatile in who they can reach with their texts. Blue messages, or iMessage messages, are compatible within the Apple ecosystem. Apple backs up all of these messages.