What is SMS Unit? SMS Unit in Text.lk SMS Gateway in Sri Lanka is the measurement of how many segments a text message is divided into for sending and billing. SMS Unit also called as SMS Pages.
What is SMS Unit in SMS Gateway in Sri Lanka?
An SMS Unit depends on the message length and language encoding.
- English Messages (GSM-7 Encoding):
1 SMS unit = up to 160 characters;
messages longer than 160 characters split into units of 153 characters each. - Sinhala and Tamil Messages (Unicode Encoding):
1 SMS unit = up to 70 characters;
longer messages split into units of 67 characters each.
Why Different Limits?
English uses GSM-7 encoding allowing more characters per SMS unit, whereas Sinhala and Tamil use Unicode which consumes more data per character.
How Text.lk Charge for SMS Units?
Each SMS unit is billed separately, so knowing the SMS unit count helps optimize message length and reduce costs.
Text.lk charges per SMS unit sent, with prices around LKR 0.64 – LKR 0.84 per SMS unit, based on the top-up plan or the chosen subscription.
Total SMS Cost = Number of SMS Units × Price per SMS Unit.
Examples:
- If an English message contains 200 characters, it is split into 2 SMS units (one unit up to 160 characters + second unit with remaining 40 characters).
If the SMS price is LKR 0.64 per unit, sending that 200-character message costs LKR 1.28 (2 units × LKR 0.64). - Similarly, a Sinhala message with 90 characters is split into 2 units (70 + 20 characters), so cost is 2 × per SMS unit price.
Text.lk offers bulk top-up plans with different price tiers, e.g., Rs 0.84 per SMS unit for 500-999 Rs Top-Up, and as low as Rs 0.64 for 10,000+ Rs Top-Up.
This pay-as-you-go pricing means, you have to pay based on how many SMS units your messages consume.
Understanding SMS units is important for sms budgeting before you send sms or run sms campaign.
Tips to Reduce SMS Units:
Keep messages brief, avoid unnecessary spaces and special characters, and use the Text.lk SMS length calculator to fit messages within fewer units.
Understanding SMS units ensures transparent pricing, efficient campaign planning, and cost-effective usage of Text.lk SMS Gateway in Sri Lanka.