---
schema_version: "1"
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title: Considerations for Long Code Channels
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/messaging_text_message_considerations.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_text_message_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: c211b0ed67b551af78e9ca043fce4e3699d1c9b74355bf8d04488304ac53a447
description: Use text messaging to help service reps connect with customers even when they’re on the go. Review these considerations before setting up an SMS channel for a ten-digit long code or toll-free long code number.
products:
  - Service Cloud
  - Digital Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Considerations for Long Code Channels

Use text messaging to help service reps connect with customers even when they’re on the go. Review these considerations before setting up an SMS channel for a ten-digit long code or toll-free long code number.

### Required Editions

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          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_editions.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">View supported editions.</a></td>

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            <a name="messaging_text_message_considerations__d290e672"><!-- --></a><span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" id="messaging_text_message_considerations__d290e672" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/checkmark.png" alt="Checkmark"></span>
            <strong>This article applies to:</strong>
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          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Standard and Enhanced SMS channels</td>

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            <strong>This article doesn’t apply to:</strong>
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          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced In-App Chat, Enhanced Web Chat v1, Enhanced Web Chat v2, Enhanced
            WhatsApp, Enhanced Facebook Messenger, Enhanced Apple Messages for Business, Enhanced
            LINE, and Bring Your Own Channel</td>

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![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/images/icon_important.png)

Important Standard SMS channels were retired on February 14, 2026. To avoid service interruptions, upgrade your standard SMS channels to enhanced channels now. Enhanced SMS offers many of the [standard SMS features you love](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_sms_compare.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "View a side-by-side comparison of standard and enhanced SMS channels. Going forward, new features are available exclusively in enhanced SMS channels.") plus session transfers and AI agent support. See [Upgrading from Standard to Enhanced SMS Messaging](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_upgrade.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "When you upgrade your standard SMS channel to an enhanced channel, you gain access to key customer service tools. Learn what to expect in an upgrade.").

## General Considerations

- Registering a new phone number in the US and Canada can take 1-2 weeks for toll-free numbers, and 1-4 weeks for 10-digit long codes. If you request 50 or more long codes, a special review is required and 1-2 weeks are added to your registration time. Salesforce Customer Support provides new toll-free and long code numbers, but has no control over number registration.
- SMS messages are subject to carrier filtering. This means that messages may not be delivered if they break country- or network-specific rules, or if they're flagged as spam. To avoid filtering, make sure that your messages follow the guidelines of the country that you're sending them in.
- For more industry-specific considerations about message deliverability, refer to [Digital Engagement SMS Messaging Reference](https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=000352394&type=1&mode=1&language=en_US).
- If a service rep opens the messaging session in multiple console tabs (for example, opening it directly and then opening it through the Messaging End User record), several known issues occur:
    - Normally, after a service rep transfers a messaging session, their AgentWork record closes and a new AgentWork record is opened for the receiving service rep. In a two-tab scenario, the AgentWork record for the service rep who transferred the session remains open in the second tab. As a result, that service rep’s stats aren’t accurate.
    - The messaging inactivity timer fails for this messaging session.

## Non-US/Canada Considerations

- Salesforce only supports “in-country messaging,” in which a phone number of one country sends messages to a phone number from the same country. If you want to message international customers, request a number from their country.
- The rate applied for international messages is based on the phone number location not your geographical location.

## Message Length

The maximum length of a single message is approximately 912 characters. The maximum length can vary depending on the language and characters used in the message, because most non-English-based characters are considered double-byte and require more capacity to send. If a message includes one or more special characters, such as smart quotes, UTF-16 encoding is applied and the limit is reduced to 396 characters. Messages over 912 characters aren’t sent.

## Content Sharing

You can send several types of content in SMS channels that are associated with a long code phone number. For a full list with limits, see [Compare Standard and Enhanced SMS Channel Capabilities](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_sms_compare.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "View a side-by-side comparison of standard and enhanced SMS channels. Going forward, new features are available exclusively in enhanced SMS channels.").

## Enhanced Messaging for SMS

Salesforce offers two types of Messaging channels: standard and enhanced. New features are available exclusively in enhanced channels, and we’re phasing out the ability to create standard channels.

- If you didn’t create standard Messaging channels before the Summer ’24 release, you can’t create standard SMS channels. All SMS channels that you create are enhanced channels.
- If you have one or more standard SMS channels, you can convert them to enhanced channels in a simple upgrade process. Upgrading is a one-way move, so you can’t change an enhanced channel to a standard channel. It’s also okay to have both standard and enhanced channels in Salesforce.
- Currently, it’s not possible to migrate an enhanced SMS channel to a Unified Messaging channel.
- You can procure new SMS codes from your production org only.
- Your procured SMS codes can be converted to SMS channels and can be moved from your production orgs to sandbox orgs and vice versa.
- Your SMS codes can be activated only in your production orgs or its child sandbox orgs.
- Use your production orgs to request brands and campaigns.

#### See Also

- [Upgrading from Standard to Enhanced SMS Messaging](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_upgrade.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "When you upgrade your standard SMS channel to an enhanced channel, you gain access to key customer service tools. Learn what to expect in an upgrade.")
- [Messaging Limits and Considerations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.livemessage_limitations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Before you get started with Messaging, review key limits and considerations.")
- [What’s Messaging?](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_introduction.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Seventy-five percent of adults want to communicate with brands the same way they do friends and family—through messaging. Messaging in Agentforce Service (formerly Service Cloud) provides a rich, efficient conversation experience for customers, service reps, and supervisors.")