Why are my text messages being sent as MMS (picture messages)?

Why are my text messages being sent as MMS (picture messages)?
If you’re using a Smartphone to send text messages to more than one person at the same time, you could be charged the cost of sending an MMS (picture message)
This happens because either:
- The message contains icons, emoticons and symbols or an email address
or
- The way some applications, such as Facebook, integrate with your contact list
To stop this happening, if sending text messages to multiple contacts make sure they don’t include symbols, icons or emoticons.

Also you may want to disable the integration between your contact list and other applications, such as Facebook.

How can I stop my text messages being sent as a MMS (picture message) on my Smartphone?
Below is a list of reasons why a text message is sent as a MMS (picture message) and how you can avoid this.
1. Text messages to email addresses - Don’t use an email address in the ‘To’ box when creating a text message.
2. Text messages sent to multiple contacts which include email addresses and mobile numbers – Send to mobile numbers only. If you need to send to an email address send it separately.
3. Using subject headers – Don’t use subject headers
4. Contact cards – Don’t send contact cards
5. Long Messages – If you’re sending a message with more than 360 characters, send it as 2 messages. There is a character counter on most phones that you can see when you’re writing a text message.
6. Smiley faces or emoticons – Don’t use smiley faces or emoticons.
7. Sending to more than 25 people – Try breaking the message up into smaller groups
8. Attachments (pictures, videos, sounds, music, drawings and locations) – Don’t add any attachments to the text message.
Note – Your phone will tell you if it is changing your message to an MMS (picture message). Keep your eye out for it and don’t ignore it.

How can I stop my text messages being sent as a MMS (picture message) on my iPhone?
Below is a list of reasons why a text message is sent as a MMS (picture message) and how you can avoid this.
1. Text messages to email addresses - Don’t use an email address in the ‘To’ box when creating a text message.
2. Text messages sent to multiple contacts which include email addresses and mobile numbers – Send to mobile numbers only. If you need to send to an email address send it separately.
3. Using subject headers – Don’t use subject headers
4. Contact cards – Don’t send contact cards
5. Attachments (pictures, videos, sounds, music, drawings and locations) – Don’t add any attachments to the text message.
Note – Your phone will tell you if it is changing your message to an MMS (picture message). Keep your eye out for it and don’t ignore it.

How do I stop my iPhone sending messages through my integrated Facebook?
If the contacts on your Facebook account are the same as in your iPhone address book, your iPhone will merge the two together. If you include one of these contacts in a message that goes to more than one person it will change the message to an MMS (picture message).
To stop this – type the contact name into the ‘To’ field and select the mobile number for that contact rather than the Facebook contact.