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Text Messaging enables you to send, receive and reply to short
text messages from your digital phone to most other digital wireless
phone users. You can either purchase a Text Messaging
package or send messages for just 25¢ each.
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What are the benefits of
Text Messaging?
- Discreet: A message is not intrusive, and you can use it when
it is better to text
- Convenient: you can message any U.S. Cellular subscriber, as
well as many wireless carriers.
- Cost effective: incoming messages are always free, and you
can send messages for less than 2¢ per message, depending on your
Text Messaging plan. Text Messaging does not affect the minutes of
your current voice pricing plan.
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What is a PIN and why do I
need one?
A PIN is a six digit number
that you'll need when registering for U.S. Cellular 's online account
management service. This will be sent to you via text message after
completing the first step in the registration process. We do this to
protect your account from being accessed without your knowledge.
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How do I remove Text
Messaging from my account?
To remove Text Messaging at
anytime, contact Customer Care at 611 from your wireless phone, or
1-888-944-9400 from your landline phone or
write
to us.
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What are the benefits of
having an e-mail address for my wireless phone?
Having an e-mail address
for your wireless phone enables you to receive text messages from
e-mail, send messages to an e-mail address and reply directly to them
from your U.S. Cellular phone. Your 10-digit wireless phone number
followed by "@email.uscc.net" is your U.S. Cellular wireless
e-mail address, so it's easy to remember.
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What are the available
Text Messaging Plans?
Check out our
Text Messaging Page for
detailed information on all of our available plans.
For text-only service plans designed to meet the needs of the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing, please visit our
text-only plans page
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Is Text Messaging
available in all U.S. Cellular markets?
Text Messaging is available
to all U.S. Cellular digital customers, and in various Prepaid Wireless
areas.
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To whom can I send a
message?
U.S. Cellular customers, as
well as customers using wireless carriers who support text messaging.
Please note: You may be able to send messages, but the recipient may
not have a text messaging capable phone.
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Where does Text Messaging
work?
To send and receive a text
message, you MUST be within a coverage area that a) has the same
digital technology as your home coverage area and b) is on the U.S.
Cellular network or c) on one of our inter-carrier partners.
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What is the maximum length
of a text message?
From
wireless phone to wireless phone:
Each text message is limited to150 characters, including spaces and
piunctuation. If a message is longer than 150 characters, the remainder
will be lost, resulting in incomplete messages being received. Note:
Some handsets may have a smaller character limit.
From the U.S. Cellular Web site to a wireless phone:
Each text message is limited to 150 characters. This is for the message
only and does not include the 'To and From' fields.
Using an e-mail address from the wireless phone:
There is a maximum 120-character limit when sending a text message to
an e-mail address from your wireless phone. Characters in the 'To,
From, and Subject' fields count towards the 120-character limit.
Using a text messaging e-mail address from any
computer to wireless phone:
E-mail messages sent from any computer to your wireless phone can be a
maximum of 400-characters, but will be split into separate message of
up to 120-characters each.
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How do I receive
notification that a message has been sent to me?
The method of notification
varies depending on your specific phone model. Most phones offer both
visual and audible notification. Please consult your manual for details
or click
here to view
phone manuals online.
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What number format should
I use to send a message?
You MUST use the full
10-digit number in order for the message to be sent. If the 7 or 11
digit number is used, the message will not be sent (e.g. 414 555 1234).
The phone may not indicate that the message has NOT been sent.
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What happens if I am on
the phone or have my phone turned off when a message arrives?
Your phone must be turned
on in order to receive messages and for the audible and visual
notifications to function. If you are on the phone, the message will be
delivered once you end the call. You must also be in the digital
portion of your home service area.
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Will my phone
automatically save the messages I send and receive?
Once delivered to your
phone, the messages are stored within the phone. However, if you do not
delete the old messages and your phone's memory becomes full, new
messages will not be delivered until you delete old messages. Messages
you send are also stored by the phone, using memory, until you delete
them. Please check your user manual for more details.
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How many messages does my
phone hold?
This varies depending on
your specific phone model. Refer to your user manual for details.
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After I send an Internet
message, will I receive confirmation that the message has been
received?
Unfortunately, we cannot
provide confirmation of message receipt.
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Can my phone receive
e-mail messages?
Yes, all text messaging
customers can receive e-mail sent to your 10-digit wireless phone
number followed by @email.uscc.net (i.e. 6305551212@email.uscc.net)
which is your e-mail address. When you want to send a text message to
an e-mail address, simply enter the recipient's e-mail address in the
'To' field. Outgoing messages and replies are charged as text
messages. All incoming messages are free and unlimited.
Learn
about our different e-mail options.
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Where can I get more
information on my handset?
Refer to the manual that
came with your wireless phone at the time of purchase.
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Can I set my phone to
receive text messages but not incoming calls?
Some phones allow you to
set a "message mode" or "pager mode," which means
it will not ring but will still alert you when a text message is
received. Refer to your user manual for details.
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What are some Text
Messaging Tips?
The following tips can used
on most handsets:
- Deleting text: The C key will delete characters to the left
of the cursor.
- Entering spaces: Use the 0 key for spaces
- Entering symbols: Use the 1 key as a short cut for symbols.
The * key will display all available symbols, such as @, #, $, period
for e-mail addresses and more
- Switching between upper and lower case: The # key will shift
between upper and lower case letters.
- Clearing the screen: to quickly clear the screen after
entering and sending a message, press and hold the C key (instead of
going back to the Clear Screen option )
- Entering numbers: If you want to enter a series of numbers
(such as a phone number ) in a mobile message, you can switch from
letters to numbers (and back) by pressing and holding the # key.
