About text and multimedia messages
You can send text or multimedia messages to one or multiple recipients. To let multiple recipients share their replies with the group, use group messaging. Or, turn off group messaging to receive replies to multi-recipient messages in individual conversation threads.
Text messages - SMS
SMS (Short Message Service) messages contain text only. One text message can contain 160 characters; when you near the limit, a counter appears. If you type more, your message is sent in a series of SMS messages.
You can send one SMS message to multiple people, and replies are delivered in separate, not group, conversation threads (unless you and your recipients have group messaging enabled).
SMS messages are included in most mobile operators' text messaging plans and do not use mobile data.
Multimedia messages - MMS
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) messages can include unlimited text plus a photo, picture slideshow, video or sound file.
You can send one MMS message to multiple people using group messaging, containing text only or text and media, and replies are delivered in group conversation threads to each person in the group.
MMS messages use mobile data and require a mobile data plan or pay-per-use payment.
Group messaging
Group messaging lets multiple people carry on a group conversation. All replies from recipients are delivered to all recipients, in a group conversation thread.
Though you send one message to multiple recipients, you are charged for each message received. Group messaging:
- Converts multiple-recipient SMS messages to MMS for all who can receive them
- Is available for MMS messages only
If you do not want multi-recipient SMS messages converted to MMS and want replies sent in separate conversation threads to you only, you can turn off group messaging.
To adjust the group messaging setting:
- In the Messaging app, touch
> Settings. - Under MULTIMEDIA (MMS) MESSAGES, check or uncheck Group messaging.