Messaging: Text messaging

How to sign up?
Who can send and receive text messages?
Sending text messages
Receiving text messages
Understanding the length limits of text messages
Premium text messages
Stopping text messages

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How to sign up

Check if text messaging is included in your rate plan:

Online

Log into your TELUS account. Don't have a TELUS account? Register now.

Phone

If you have a monthly rate plan, dial 611 on your TELUS phone. Prepaid customers, please dial #123.

TELUS store

Visit an authorized TELUS store.

If your monthly rate plan includes text messaging, you don't need to make changes to your account.

If your monthly rate plan doesn't include text messaging:

• you may choose to pay for every text message sent/received (see pricing table). You don't need to make any changes to your account.
• add a monthly text package to your rate plan, or to switch to a text messaging option in your monthly rate plan.

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Who can send and receive text messages?

Text messages can be exchanged between all TELUS customers who have a TELUS phone. Text messages can also be sent/received between all Canadian and US wireless carriers, as well as wireless carriers in countries outside of Canada. View the International country list.

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Sending text messages

There are several ways to send text messages:

From your mobile phone to a landline

Use your mobile phone to send text messages to most landlines in Canada and the U.S.. Your text message is converted to a voice message for your recipient. If they reply, you receive a text message with a toll-free number and a 4-digit PIN so you can listen to their response.

From your mobile phone to another mobile phone or e-mail

Use your mobile phone to send text messages to other mobile phones or email accounts (certain phones only). For North America destinations, type the 10-digit phone number and press 'OK'. For International destinations, type 011, the country code (see International Text Messaging) and then the mobile phone number and press 'OK'.
For specific mobile phone instructions, see Text Messaging: Sending to mobile phone or e-mail

From your Phone while travelling overseas

You can send and receive messages on your TELUS phone while overseas. Learn how to send and receive text messages on your TELUS phone.

From a PC or Mac at telusmobility.com

Go to the Send a Message page and follow the onscreen instructions to send a text message to any TELUS mobility customer. Only TELUS handsets can receive messages from this website.

From your TELUS account

To send a text message to one or more TELUS Mobility clients, log in to your account, select Send a Message in the top right corner and follow the onscreen instructions. You can also create an address book to send to multiple TELUS mobility customers at the same time. Don't have a TELUS account? Register now

From your email

Email a text message to any TELUS Mobility client by using this format: 10digitphonenumber@msg.telus.com (ex. 4168730000@msg.telus.com). In the body, type your text. Note that text messages over 136 characters (PCS) are split over two messages.

Messages sent using email or a TELUS website can be up to 260 characters.

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Receiving text messages

All mobile and Mike phones are enabled to receive text messages.

If you want to confirm your phone's capability, send yourself a text message. If you don't receive it, contact Client Care at *611 to activate it.

Similarly, if you wish to discontinue text message capability, contact Client Care at *611.

Delivery of a text message is nearly immediate if:

• Your recipient's phone is turned on and set up for text messaging.
• Your recipient is in a digital coverage area within Canada or the US or other selected countries.

Please note:

• Messages sent to or received from other carriers might require more time to be delivered.
• 999-999-9999 is the number that appears on your phone if someone sends a text message using either email or a TELUS website.

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Understanding the length limits of text messages

Different phone models have different text message length limits. Generally, the limit is between 130 and 160 characters (including spaces). Some phones will allow you to enter a longer message and split it into segments (according to the phone's pre-set limit) at “Send”. Each segment is counted as sending/receiving 1 text message and billed accordingly.

To determine your phone's pre-set text message length limit, consult the owner's manual.

Want to stop counting messages? Get a Messaging Package and enjoy per-message discounts and free incoming messages.

Learn more

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Premium text messages

Premium messages or short codes, are text messages that you can subscribe to and have delivered to your phone automatically, such as daily or weekly horoscope alerts. You can also enter and participate in popular TV shows, contests and promotions using short codes.

Stopping text messages

There are various types of text messaging and different ways to stop them:

• Regular text messages – To stop receiving text messages, log in to your TELUS account and select "Applications", then "Manage text messages". Select "Send" or "Manage text messages" and choose the types of messages you no longer want to receive.
• Premium messaging – To stop subscription services to third party companies, such as daily news, weather and sports updates or subscriptions to online dating services and chat, reply to a message with "STOP" or "STOP ALL". If the subscription continues, contact the company directly or call Client Care at *611.

SPAM messaging – SPAM messages are advertising messages sent by companies and individuals to unwilling participants. If you receive an unwanted text message, forward it to 7726 with the word "SPAM" in the body and we will adjust your bill. No questions asked. That's our TELUS Spam Free Guarantee.