When you send and receive text messages in 17hats, message usage is measured in fragments rather than whole messages. This article explains what fragments are, how they’re calculated, and how they impact your monthly texting package.
What is a Message Fragment?
A fragment is a segment of your text message based on the number of characters it contains. Mobile carriers break your message into fragments before sending, and each fragment counts toward your monthly texting limit.
Think of it like a puzzle: your text is broken into smaller pieces so it can be delivered across carrier networks, and each piece is billed separately.
Note: Fragment counts are determined by mobile carriers, not 17hats, and apply to both outgoing and incoming messages.
How Fragment Length is Determined
The length of a fragment depends on whether your message contains only standard characters (letters, numbers, punctuation) or includes special characters/emojis.
Standard characters (GSM-7 encoding):
1 fragment = up to 160 characters
Messages longer than 160 characters are split into multiple 153-character fragments (to include data needed for reassembly).
Special characters or emojis (Unicode encoding):
1 fragment = up to 70 characters
Messages longer than 70 characters are split into multiple 67-character fragments.
‼️ Note: If you or your contact uses emojis in text messages, you will deplete your text allotment in your package in about half the time. |
Examples of How Fragments Work
Example 1: Standard Characters Only
Message length: 300 characters
First 160 characters = 1 fragment
Remaining 140 characters = 1 fragment
Total fragments: 2
Example 2: Includes an Emoji
Message length: 100 characters with 1 emoji
First 70 characters = 1 fragment
Remaining 30 characters = 1 fragment
Total fragments: 2
How Fragments Affect Your Texting Package
Your monthly texting allowance in 17hats is 100 fragments (included in the $10/month texting package).
If a single message is split into multiple fragments, each fragment counts separately toward your total.
If you complete your 100 text messages (fragments) before your billing cycle is completed, you will automatically be charged $10 and receive another 100 text messages (fragments).
Interaction and Fragments
Text interactions also count as fragments. This includes actions such as:
Giving a thumbs up 👍 to a message
Hearting ❤️ a message
Other quick-reaction responses supported by your device
Even though these aren’t typed messages, carriers treat them as message events — and each one equals one fragment.
Tips to Reduce Fragment Usage
Keep messages short and clear.
Limit or avoid emojis and special characters when possible.
Save longer conversations for email.
How to Track Your Fragment Usage
You can easily see how many fragments you’ve used and how many are left in your billing cycle by checking your Texting Stats inside 17hats.
Your Texting Stats will display:
Texting Package: The size of your current texting plan (e.g., 100 Texts, 500 Texts, etc.).
Billing Cycle – Texts Used: The number of fragments you’ve sent or received during the current billing cycle.
Billing Cycle – Texts Available: The remaining fragments available plus any unused fragments that have rolled over from prior months.
Billing Cycle – Completion: The date and time your current billing cycle ends.
🎩 FAQ
Q: Do fragments apply to incoming messages too?
Yes — fragments count for both messages you send and messages you receive.
Q: What happens if I go over my monthly 100 fragments?
If you complete your 100 text messages (fragments) before your billing cycle is completed, you will automatically be charged $10 and receive another 100 text messages (fragments).
Q: Do spaces and punctuation count toward the character limit?
Yes — spaces, punctuation, and line breaks all count toward your fragment’s character total.
Q: Do quick reactions like 👍 or ❤️ really count as fragments?
Yes — mobile carriers treat these as message events, so each one is counted as a fragment.
Q: Can I see how many fragments a message will use before sending?
No — mobile carriers set the final fragment count, and each does it slightly differently, so we cannot guarantee an exact number before sending.
Q: Are there more packages available?
Yes — you can choose from the following texting packages (all charged per fragment):
100 Texts – $10.00 USD/month – 100 text messages
500 Texts – $15.00 USD/month – 500 text messages
1000 Texts – $30.00 USD/month – 1000 text messages
5000 Texts – $100.00 USD/month – 5000 text messages
If you reach your limit before your billing cycle ends, you will automatically be charged $10 for 100 messages, no matter which package you are on.
*Packages may change over time, please check your texting page in your brand for accurate information