iPhone 5S suddenly breaks up incoming long text messages

[lthirteen]

I've been happy with my iPhone 5S since I got it in December, particularly the feature that preserves long text messages as one single message when coming from other iPhones.

I never had a problem with this until a couple of weeks ago. Messages over 160 characters are suddenly coming in broken up into multiples. This has never happened in the past, and nothing has changed with my device, network, location, or plan. I checked with my contacts and nothing has changed with their plans or devices either.

My outgoing long texts are received as a single message, so that's not a problem.

Why are incoming long texts suddenly broken up for me when it worked perfectly before? Is there a way to fix this? (As I mentioned, it was never an issue until a few weeks ago.) I do not use iMessage, and I've tried deleting all texts + restarting the phone, all to no avail.

Thanks for any advice!

[vzw_customer_support]

Thank you for reaching out lthirteen! Let's resolve this text mystery together.  This issue can occur when sending SMS messages between carrier networks. Are the text being affected being sent out by other Verizon Wireless customers or another carrier? Just to clarify, this is happening only with other Iphones and your imessages is turned off? When you try to send yourself a text message, do you receive it as one or does it also break up?
JorgeO_VZW
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[Weth]

Texts between systems, especially if they contain accented characters, emojis or emoticons will be split. 

iPhone: SMS messages may display incorrectly on other devices - Apple Support

[lthirteen]

Hello!

My primary contacts are on T-Mobile. I know this can happen when crossing networks, BUT I never had this issue before a couple of weeks ago and none of them have changed providers, phones, or plans. I would understand if the long texts had been split up from the get-go, but it seemed very strange that only suddenly, after several months of non-split messages, it would break them up. Hmm.

Yes—this is happening with other iPhones, and iMessage is turned off. When I send a long message to myself, I receive it as one single long message. (My contacts have also verified that long texts from me are received as one as well, even though they are on T-Mobile.)

The messages do not contain emoji or special characters.

[vzw_customer_support]

I understand your concern with the recent change of text messages. Let's gather more information. Have you verified with your Tmobile contacts that this only happens when they text someone with a VZW phone? If you can receive long messages, the issue is not on the Verizon Wireless end. The other carrier could have had a recent change in how their network is set up.

SheritaH_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[Loquat]

Interesting that you're just now having this issue.  I've never received a long message unless it was coming from another iPhone/iPad/iPod/Mac using iMessage.  Any message that I've received from someone outside of iMessage that exceeded the normal 160 character count has always been broken up and doesn't always come in order.  The longer the message the worse it is...sometimes it's like a puzzle trying to piece the message together...  

[MRTH_RBBNS]

I'm having the same problem with broken up text messages FROM iPhones 5s, and I have a Samsung Intensity II, which is not a smart phone.

[vzw_customer_support]

MRTH.RBBNS, getting messages in a consistent order is a must. The Intensity II does not support receiving messages all at one if over 160 characters. Messages will be broken up in multiple messages when receiving from a smartphone device if larger than the 160 characters.

AlbertoR_VZW

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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!