Charged for receiving texts from Australia

[Daisy1512]

Hi,

I had to text my friend in Australia who had a Australian mobile number.  I assumed I might get charged but when I checked my recent bill I have been charged for more then the texts I received and sent.   It appears I have been charged for the texts I received and some texts are listed 3 times with the exactly same date and time and each one with a 0.73p charge.   In total I have been charged for 16 texts but there are 11 (total for sent and received) for the period charged .  

[Chris_B]

@Daisy1512   That’s because a number of text where longer than 160 characters including blank spaces.  

A text has a limit size of 160 characters and when you go over this it can go as a two texts or an MMS and it looks like you had a text split in to 3 which means it was over 320 characters (including blank spaces)  so thats why some of them have the same time and date on them 

[Daisy1512]

Thanks Chris,  I have one longer message but others aren’t long.  Do you charge for me to receive texts from Australia?  I have don’t always have control over when someone sends a  texts.    0.78p for each text!!!! 

[XRaySpeX · Accepted solution]

You are never charged for receiving texts but those you sent were split into <=160 chars chunks & each charged as a separate text.

International calls & texts to overseas nos. from UK can be rather expensive but EE has a free add-on that anyone, on PAYG or contract, can apply for to give these calls & texts at a fraction of the standard rates. See The Free CALL ABROAD Add-on for Cheap Calls/Texts from UK . Then texts to Oz would be 18p each.

[Daisy1512]

Thank you so much.    I didn’t know about the add on as I don’t normally text message Australia.  That’s really helpful and much cheaper.  Brilliant 

[Daisy1512]

I tried and sent the text to 150 with call aboard and kept getting a message asking which country.  Said I have to send a message saying Call then the country . I would like any country but put Australia just to see that worked.   Then got a message telling me about the package and would be £11.40 per month.  So I rung 150 instead but big queue so requested a call back and heard nothing and that was late morning.  🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️. Will have to try again 

[Daisy1512]

Sorry a typo  i sent. call abroad to 150 

[Daisy1512]

Just tried again and it worked so unsure what happened this morning .  Thank you for the really helpful advice.   Saving me .0.50p on each text and I will reply short and sweet lol

[chistery]

Do they not use any other message type apps that maybe use data/wifi and therefore free to use?

[Daisy1512]

Thank you and good point.   When I speak or message my best friend in Oz we use messenger which is free.  The texts were from an ex work colleague who had returned to Oz and doesn’t use messenger or WhatsApp.    To be honest we tend to email but on this occasion we had a text exchange and ended up costing me £11 on my bill  so drew my attention to the issue.  Thank you for the suggestion 😀