We recently started using Group Messages and Twilio to send out group SMS. All messages over 122 characters are being sent as 2 messages, therefore doubling the cost - apart from being frustrating for the receiver.
We researched this with Twilio and found:
The messages that are segmented when they go over the 160 character mark are segmented outside the Twilio platform. There will be only 1 message SID generated for these. For example, let's say you send a message with 180 characters, then it will leave the Twilio platform and will be split into two segments. However, if we look in the Twilio logs, they will appear as a single message i.e. they will only have 1 message SID generated.
However in this scenario that is not the case. We have multiple message SIDs generated for the below:
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SMa0411e2e9fa74b87b96d2da3e36eed32
Body: Please submit your timecard as soon as you finish work today, to assist in the accounting for end of financial year. Regar
SMb6ec1560b14b42adac90d58fe8ec3efa
Body: ds, Rebecca Miller
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SM607131d660b54d4f901404aea00d8eb3
Body: With further easing of Covid-19 restrictions starting Friday 9th, the condition of 1 employee per vehicle has been removed
SM894f6507904f4d39ad6ae2697c459c25
Body: . Employee leaving from the yard to discuss transport with supervisors. Thx NC
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SM54933691395742d6af158529a841b6d9
Body: Morning Guys, All previous Covid-19 conditions back in place. Face masks MUST be worn indoors and outdoors at all times wh
SM999ecd5228b44a19a5e8a45dfbc670d6
Body: ilst at work. Thank You NC
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This means that these were created as separate messages due to multiple API requests sent by your Vista application.
Viewpoint support have indicated "there is no option to prevent the portal from splitting the SMS messages. As for the limit being less than 160 for some messages, there are some reasons for that this KB article goes over that https://support.viewpoint.com/s/knowledgedetail?c__urlname=Why-is-my-Group-Message-SMS-Splitting-into-Two-Messages"
I’ve done some further testing. According to the KB article, what’s in the subject is counted as characters. So we created a message placing text in the subject, counted it Twilio’s Messaging Segment Calculator and kept the text to a limit where it would send as one message. Two screenshots attached.
When the message arrived, the subject was missing. Screenshot attached.
If the subject is being counted as text and isn’t sent in the message, can the subject be removed for SMS Group messages so that users can get their 160 character count please?
Not being able to sent 160 characters in one message will force us to move to an alternative paid solution for sending SMS messages to employees. This needs to be fixed yesterday please.
Anne Preston
| Company | Wellam Constructions |
| Job Title / Role | Accounts Payable / Process Optimiser |
| I need it... | Yesterday...Come on already |
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Hi Mark, Here's some screenshots that may help.
Hi Anne,
I reviewed this with Development and we would like to look at some of your logs.
Can you attach screenshots of your mail log to see what it is showing is getting sent?
Thanks!