SMS Manager send mutlipart message when there is less than 160 characters

Question

I write a app which use SMS Manager. I use method sendTextMessage() but it isn't work. Now I am using sendMutlipartTextMessage() and it's work. But it's send multipart message when it is about 60 characters. This is normal? Everywhere I read than should be 160 characters. This is important to me because I must pay more.

Answer 1

The message character limit depends on the character bit-size of the alphabet you're using. For the standard GSM 7-bit alphabet, the character limit is 160. For an 8-bit alphabet, it is 140, and for a 16-bit alphabet, which sounds like your situation, it is only 70 characters. If you must send messages with special Unicode characters, like those in non-Latin alphabets, then you're stuck with the 16-bit alphabet, and its 70-character limit. If you can somehow convert the messages to the basic 7-bit alphabet, you will have the 160-character limit.

Answer 2

I add my SMS method if it can help someone.

//TO USE EveryWhere

SMSUtils.sendSMS(context, phoneNumber, message);

//Manifest

<!-- SMS -->
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SEND_SMS"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE"/>

 <receiver
     android:name=".SMSUtils"
     android:enabled="true"
     android:exported="true">
     <intent-filter>
         <action android:name="SMS_SENT"/>
         <action android:name="SMS_DELIVERED"/>
      </intent-filter>
 </receiver>

//JAVA

public class SMSUtils extends BroadcastReceiver {

    public static final String SENT_SMS_ACTION_NAME = "SMS_SENT";
    public static final String DELIVERED_SMS_ACTION_NAME = "SMS_DELIVERED";

    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
        //Detect l'envoie de sms
        if (intent.getAction().equals(SENT_SMS_ACTION_NAME)) {
            switch (getResultCode()) {
                case Activity.RESULT_OK: // Sms sent
                    Toast.makeText(context, context.getString(R.string.sms_send), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                    break;
                case SmsManager.RESULT_ERROR_GENERIC_FAILURE: // generic failure
                    Toast.makeText(context, context.getString(R.string.sms_not_send), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                    break;
                case SmsManager.RESULT_ERROR_NO_SERVICE: // No service
                    Toast.makeText(context, context.getString(R.string.sms_not_send_no_service), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                    break;
                case SmsManager.RESULT_ERROR_NULL_PDU: // null pdu
                    Toast.makeText(context, context.getString(R.string.sms_not_send), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                    break;
                case SmsManager.RESULT_ERROR_RADIO_OFF: //Radio off
                    Toast.makeText(context, context.getString(R.string.sms_not_send_no_radio), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                    break;
            }
        }
        //detect la reception d'un sms
        else if (intent.getAction().equals(DELIVERED_SMS_ACTION_NAME)) {
            switch (getResultCode()) {
                case Activity.RESULT_OK:
                    Toast.makeText(context, context.getString(R.string.sms_receive), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                    break;
                case Activity.RESULT_CANCELED:
                    Toast.makeText(context, context.getString(R.string.sms_not_receive), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                    break;
            }
        }
    }

    /**
     * Test if device can send SMS
     * @param context
     * @return
     */
    public static boolean canSendSMS(Context context) {
        return context.getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature(PackageManager.FEATURE_TELEPHONY);
    }

    public static void sendSMS(final Context context, String phoneNumber, String message) {

        if (!canSendSMS(context)) {
            Toast.makeText(context, context.getString(R.string.cannot_send_sms), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
            return;
        }

        PendingIntent sentPI = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, new Intent(SENT_SMS_ACTION_NAME), 0);
        PendingIntent deliveredPI = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, new Intent(DELIVERED_SMS_ACTION_NAME), 0);

        final SMSUtils smsUtils = new SMSUtils();
        //register for sending and delivery
        context.registerReceiver(smsUtils, new IntentFilter(SMSUtils.SENT_SMS_ACTION_NAME));
        context.registerReceiver(smsUtils, new IntentFilter(DELIVERED_SMS_ACTION_NAME));

        SmsManager sms = SmsManager.getDefault();
        ArrayList<String> parts = sms.divideMessage(message);

        ArrayList<PendingIntent> sendList = new ArrayList<>();
        sendList.add(sentPI);

        ArrayList<PendingIntent> deliverList = new ArrayList<>();
        deliverList.add(deliveredPI);

        sms.sendMultipartTextMessage(phoneNumber, null, parts, sendList, deliverList);

        //we unsubscribed in 10 seconds 
        new Handler().postDelayed(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                context.unregisterReceiver(smsUtils);
            }
        }, 10000);

    }
}