Concatenated messages, also known as long or multipart messages, are SMS messages that exceed the standard 160-character limit and are split into multiple segments for transmission. Each segment, or part, of the message is treated as a separate SMS message and is reassembled by the recipient’s device to display the complete message seamlessly.
How do you send a Concatenated Message?
Here’s how concatenated messages work and how you send them:
1. Message Segmentation: When a message exceeds 160 characters, the SMS messaging system automatically segments it into multiple parts, with each part containing up to 153 characters to accommodate for the overhead required for concatenation.
2. Header Information: Each segment of the concatenated message includes header information that indicates its position in the sequence and the total number of segments in the message. This information ensures that the segments are correctly ordered and reassembled by the recipient’s device.
3. Transmission: The segmented parts of the concatenated message are transmitted individually through the SMS network to the recipient’s device. Each part is treated as a separate SMS message and may follow different routes through the network.
4. Reassembly: When the recipient’s device receives the segmented parts of the concatenated message, it automatically reassembles them based on the header information to display the complete message to the user. The reassembled message appears as a single, seamless message on the recipient’s device, even though it was transmitted in multiple parts.
To send a concatenated message:
1. Compose Message: Use a messaging platform or SMS gateway that supports concatenated messages to compose your message. Type your message as you normally would, ensuring that it exceeds the 160-character limit.
2. Sending Process: When you send the message, the messaging platform or SMS gateway automatically detects that the message exceeds the character limit and segments it into multiple parts. It adds the necessary header information to each segment to ensure correct reassembly by the recipient’s device.
3. Delivery: The segmented parts of the concatenated message are transmitted through the SMS network to the recipient’s device. The recipient’s device reassembles the segments into a single message, which is then displayed to the user.
Sending concatenated messages allows you to overcome the 160-character limit of standard SMS messages and send longer messages to recipients seamlessly. It is particularly useful for sending longer texts or messages that require more detailed information while still maintaining the simplicity and reliability of SMS communication.
