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How to avoid charges for Long Text Messages?

Icksieray
2: Seeker
2: Seeker
I have a Nokia 1520 and keep getting charged for sending the odd text message because, as I have been told by Vodafone, when a text message is over 160 characters, my phone automatically converts it to a Photo Message, which are not inclusive under the terms of my contract. Vodafone have also told me they do not charge for text messages above this conversion limit but to stop them from converting to Photo Messages and thus incurring a charge I have to change settings on my phone. Strangely, Vodafone say they cannot tell me how to do this and have suggested I post a request for instruction via this forum, so here I am, asking for help with this problem. - Please!
33 REPLIES 33

SynthFG
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

Odd

The phone should not do this by default unless you are replying to multiple recipiants at the same time

How long are these messages, 

 

Also when you type a message under the box you are typing in should be a line of text in grey that counts the charicters, 

When I go over 160 on my 1020 

it then reads 2 messages, xxx/306

etc

 

do you see this

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Note I do not work for voda, My advice comes from experience and my opinions are my own

 

I have exactly the same on my iphone.  I get charged for text messages over 160 characters

Icksieray
2: Seeker
2: Seeker
Vodafone agree this is a problem, but say it is not of their making. I don't have a character counter for text messages and cannot find any way of stopping the conversion to a photo message if I type beyond 160 characters. This is typical of Vodafone, same sort of reaction l had last time I was with then, very unhelpful, but thank you for your conscern.

SynthFG
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

Did you get your phone direct from Voda or from a 3rd party like carphone warehouse

Is it voda branded 

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Note I do not work for voda, My advice comes from experience and my opinions are my own

 

Icksieray
2: Seeker
2: Seeker
Carphone Warehouse

SynthFG
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

Then this is very odd

Can you check your firmware is upto date


Settings, system phone update check for updates

Can you also look at settings for your messages and confirm that all options bar the backup are set to off

 

sigbar.png

Note I do not work for voda, My advice comes from experience and my opinions are my own

 

Nothing odd about it - it's standard practice.  Very annoying

Icksieray
2: Seeker
2: Seeker
All up to-date, all settings off apart from acknowledgement of text messages sent. All MMS settings off!

SynthFG
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

Right

I'm at a loss, 

My CPWH provided 1020 on t-mob is behaving properly splitting the messages

I'll have a play with Mrs S's 610 on voda tonight and see if it does the same thing as yours 

 

sigbar.png

Note I do not work for voda, My advice comes from experience and my opinions are my own