197 Characters, 2 Messages: How to Save on SMS Reminders

If you are looking to automate your reminders and have come across the phrase "197 characters, 2 messages#N##N#reminderinvia", you have likely discovered an inconvenient truth: a single SMS longer than 160 characters costs you double. In this guide, we will look at why this happens and how you can send your reminders without wasting your business budget.

SMS Mathematics: Why 197 characters, 2 messages#N##N#reminderinvia is the norm

To understand why your 197-character reminderinvia template is counted as 2 messages, we need to take a step back and analyze how standard SMS technology based on GSM-7 encoding works.

A single SMS message can contain a maximum of 160 characters. However, when the text exceeds this threshold, concatenation (multipart SMS) comes into play. To join the messages on the recipient's phone into a single readable text, the system must insert an invisible technical header called UDH (User Data Header). This reduces the available space for each individual fragment from 160 to just 153 characters.

Here is how a 197-character message is split:

• First fragment: 153 characters
• Second fragment: 44 characters

The result? Traditional operators and A2P SMS platforms will charge you for exactly 2 messages for a single send. Furthermore, if you insert special characters or accented letters (such as à, è, ì, ò, ù), the encoding automatically switches to UCS-2, reducing the limit to just 70 characters per fragment and causing costs to soar even further.

The hidden costs of automated reminders with Twilio and other providers

Many small business owners — such as medical clinics, beauty salons, driving schools, and mechanical workshops — use legacy platforms like Twilio, Vonage, or MessageBird to reduce no-shows through automated reminders. However, these platforms apply rates strictly based on network segments and require complicated registration procedures.

If your reminder template contains dynamic variables (such as the customer's name or appointment time), it is very easy to exceed the 160-character threshold. A message that looks cheap on paper can instantly double or triple in price due to multiple segments.

With MySMSGate, this problem is eliminated at the root. Because we use our infrastructure to connect your Android phone and send SMS directly through your SIM card, you can take advantage of the flat or unlimited rate plans from your local mobile operator. Additionally, our flat rate of just $0.02 per SMS does not involve additional costs for multiple segments when you use our platform.

Comparison Table: SMS Cost Structure

Here is a direct comparison between MySMSGate and traditional SMS API providers when it comes to handling long messages and customer reminders:

If you are looking for a more cost-effective solution, we recommend reading our detailed guide on Twilio alternatives in 2026 and discovering how to optimize costs with the cheapest SMS API for small businesses.

How to set up your reminderinvia system in 3 steps

You don't need to be an expert programmer to start saving on your reminders. MySMSGate is designed for both developers and non-technical users thanks to our intuitive web interface and no-code integrations.

1. Create an account: Register on MySMSGate and instantly get your API keys and QR code.
2. Connect your Android: Download the Android application on your phone, scan the QR code from the dashboard, and your device will be connected in a second.
3. Send your reminders: Configure your templates via our REST API or connect MySMSGate to tools like Zapier, Make.com, or n8n to automate sending without writing code.

If you are a developer and want to integrate programmatic sending directly into your backend, here is a practical example in Python to manage your reminderinvia flow:

import requests

url = "https://mysmsgate.net/api/v1/send"
payload = {
    "to": "+393456789012",
    "message": "Dear Customer, we remind you of your appointment tomorrow at 15:30. To cancel, please reply to this SMS. Thank you!",
    "device_id": "your_device_id_here"
}
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)
print(response.json())

For more technical details on integration, see our guide on how to send SMS from an Android phone via API.

Frequently Asked Questions about SMS Character Limits

Find answers to the most common questions about managing characters and text message costs for your business.

Why is a 197-character SMS split into two messages?

The standard SMS protocol (GSM-7) limits individual messages to 160 characters. When you exceed this threshold, the message is divided into 153-character segments to allow for the insertion of the UDH (User Data Header) header, which is necessary for the recipient's phone to reassemble the text. Therefore, 197 characters inevitably require 2 SMS segments.

How can I avoid paying double for my SMS reminders?

You can reduce the text length by eliminating special characters and unnecessary abbreviations, or you can use MySMSGate. With our platform, you can send SMS via your Android phone's SIM card, taking advantage of flat plans with unlimited SMS from your operator, completely eliminating the segment-based pricing costs of traditional providers.

Does MySMSGate support sending Italian accented characters?

Yes, MySMSGate fully supports all accented and special characters. Unlike traditional gateways that drastically reduce the limit to 70 characters (UCS-2), doubling the cost for a single accented letter, sending via your physical SIM with MySMSGate allows you to handle messages without worrying about the encoding penalties of A2P carriers.