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Sending text messages (International SMS)
International SMS (Short Message Service) can be used with FOMA and Xi. Text messages can be sent from FOMA and Xi phones in Japan to phone numbers of local overseas mobile phones. Sending is easy and charges are reasonable, allowing you to easily keep in touch with family and friends who are overseas.
This service can be used with FOMA and Xi.- Users of FOMA Dual Network Service can send and receive International SMS only when using FOMA service.
- You may be able to exchange SMS in other languages (Korean or Chinese) depending on the model you use.
How to send International SMS messages
‹Display the Compose SMS message screen ›
- The procedure to display "+" depends on the handset. Please check the user's manual for details.
- With some operators, such as those in the United States, China, South Korea, and the Philippines, the SMS Delivery Notice will be sent as soon as the message reaches the message center of the destination operator (charges will not apply).
- If you have enabled the Reject SMS option in Japan, incoming International SMS will also be rejected while overseas. Please see here for information on how to disable the Reject SMS option.
Example: Sending an International SMS message to Singapore with a FOMA N705i handset using "+".
We recommend that you use half-size alphanumeric characters when sending messages to subscribers of overseas operators.
Users with whom you can send and receive SMS messages
| Country/region | Country code | Operator (abbr.) | |
| North America | Alaska | 1 | AT&T/Cingular |
| Canada | 1 | Rogers | |
| TELUS | |||
| WIND Mobile | |||
| Guam | 1 | DOCOMO PACIFIC | |
| Hawaii | 1 | AT&T/Cingular | |
| T-Mobile | |||
| Mainland USA | 1 | AT&T/Cingular | |
| T-Mobile | |||
| Cincinnati Bell Wireless | |||
| Verizon/Alltel | |||
| Sprint Nextel | |||
| Immix Wireless | |||
| Saipan | 1 | DOCOMO PACIFIC | |
| Asia | Bangladesh | 880 | GrameenPhone |
| Robi | |||
| Bhutan | 975 | TashiCell | |
| Brunei | 673 | b-mobile | |
| Cambodia | 855 | cellcard | |
| CADCOMMS | |||
| hello | |||
| China | 86 | China Mobile | |
| China Unicom | |||
| China Telecom | |||
| Hong Kong | 852 | CSL | |
| 3 | |||
| SmarTone | |||
| PCCW | |||
| China Mobile | |||
| India | 91 | Airtel | |
| Tata Teleservices | |||
| Loop Mobile | |||
| Indonesia | 62 | Indosat | |
| Telkomsel | |||
| esia | |||
| Mobile8 | |||
| XL | |||
| Macau | 853 | 3 | |
| SmarTone | |||
| CTM | |||
| Malaysia | 60 | Maxis | |
| Celcom | |||
| DiGi | |||
| U Mobile | |||
| Maldives | 960 | Dhiraagu | |
| WMOBILE | |||
| Mongolia | 976 | MobiCom | |
| Skytel Mongolia | |||
| Unitel | |||
| Nepal | 977 | Ncell | |
| Nepal Telecom | |||
| United Telecom | |||
| Pakistan | 92 | Mobilink | |
| Ufone | |||
| Telecard | |||
| Telenor | |||
| ZONG | |||
| Philippines | 63 | Digitel | |
| SMART | |||
| Globe | |||
| Singapore | 65 | M1 | |
| SingTel | |||
| StarHub | |||
| South Korea | 82 | KT/KTF/olleh | |
| LG U+ | |||
| SK Telecom | |||
| Sri Lanka | 94 | Dialog | |
| Hutchison | |||
| Suntel | |||
| Mobitel | |||
| Etisalat | |||
| Lanka Bell | |||
| Taiwan | 886 | Chunghwa Telecom | |
| Far EasTone | |||
| Taiwan Mobile | |||
| VIBO | |||
| Thailand | 66 | AIS | |
| DTAC | |||
| True Move | |||
| Vietnam | 84 | Vietnamobile | |
| Vinaphone | |||
| Mobifone | |||
| EVN Telecom | |||
| Viettel | |||
| Oceania | Australia | 61 | 3 |
| Optus | |||
| Telstra | |||
| Vodafone | |||
| Christmas Island1 |
61 | Telstra | |
| Fiji | 679 | Vodafone | |
| French Polynesia | 689 | Vini | |
| New Caledonia | 687 | OPT | |
| New Zealand | 64 | Vodafone | |
| Telecom New Zealand | |||
| 2degrees | |||
| Palau | 680 | Palau Mobile | |
| Europe | Albania | 355 | AMC |
| Andorra | 376 | MOBILAND | |
| Austria | 43 | 3 | |
| Azerbaijan | 994 | Azercell | |
| Belarus | 375 | MTS | |
| VELCOM | |||
| Belgium | 32 | KPN | |
| Mobistar | |||
| PROXIMUS | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 387 | BH Mobile | |
| Bulgaria | 359 | M-TEL | |
| Canary Islands | 34 | Movistar | |
| Orange | |||
| Croatia | 385 | T-Mobile | |
| Cyprus | 90 | Turkcell | |
| Czech Republic | 420 | O2 | |
| T-Mobile | |||
| Vodafone | |||
| Denmark | 45 | 3 | |
| Telenor | |||
| TDC | |||
| Estonia | 372 | EMT | |
| Elisa | |||
| Tele2 | |||
| Finland | 358 | Sonera | |
| Dna | |||
| France | 33 | Bouygues | |
| Orange | |||
| Georgia | 995 | GEOCELL | |
| Germany | 49 | E-Plus | |
| Telekom Deutschland | |||
| O2 | |||
| Greece | 30 | Cosmote | |
| WIND | |||
| Guernsey | 44 | JT-Wave | |
| Hungary | 36 | PANNON | |
| Iceland | 354 | Siminn | |
| Viking wireless | |||
| Ireland | 353 | O2 | |
| Isle of Man | 44 | MANX | |
| Italy | 39 | 3 | |
| WIND | |||
| Telecom Italia | |||
| Vodafone | |||
| Jersey | 44 | Jersey Telecom | |
| Kosovo | 386 | MOBITEL | |
| Kyrgyz Republic | 996 | Beeline KG | |
| Latvia | 371 | Tele2 | |
| LMT | |||
| Liechtenstein | 423 | Swisscom | |
| Lithuania | 370 | OMNITEL | |
| Tele2 | |||
| Macedonia | 389 | ONE | |
| Moldova | 373 | Orange | |
| Monaco | 33 | Bouygues | |
| Orange | |||
| Montenegro | 382 | MTEL | |
| Netherlands | 31 | KPN | |
| Vodafone | |||
| Poland | 48 | T-Mobile | |
| Plus | |||
| Romania | 40 | COSMOTE | |
| Orange | |||
| Vodafone | |||
| Russia | 7 | MTS | |
| Beeline | |||
| MegaFon | |||
| San Marino | 39 | 3 | |
| WIND | |||
| Telecom Italia | |||
| Vodafone | |||
| Serbia | 381 | Telenor | |
| Slovakia | 421 | T-Mobile | |
| Slovenia | 386 | MOBITEL | |
| Spain | 34 | Movistar | |
| Orange | |||
| Spanish North America | 34 | Movistar | |
| Orange | |||
| Sweden | 46 | 3 | |
| Tele2 | |||
| TELIASONERA | |||
| Switzerland | 41 | Orange | |
| Swisscom | |||
| Tajikistan | 992 | Babilon-M | |
| Turkey | 90 | Turkcell | |
| AVEA | |||
| Vodafone | |||
| Turkmenistan | 993 | MTS | |
| UK | 44 | 3 | |
| T-Mobile | |||
| Orange | |||
| O2 | |||
| Ukraine | 380 | Kyivstar | |
| MTS | |||
| Vatican City | 39 | 3 | |
| WIND | |||
| Telecom Italia | |||
| Vodafone | |||
| Central and South America | Argentina | 54 | CLARO |
| Movistar | |||
| Personal | |||
| Brazil | 55 | Oi/Brasil Telecom Celular | |
| TIM | |||
| Vivo | |||
| Chile | 56 | ENTEL | |
| Colombia | 57 | Tigo | |
| Movistar | |||
| Mexico | 52 | Iusacell | |
| TELCEL | |||
| Panama | 507 | Cable & Wireless | |
| Claro | |||
| Digicel | |||
| Paraguay | 595 | Claro | |
| Personal | |||
| Peru | 51 | Claro | |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | AT&T/Cingular | |
| T-Mobile | |||
| Trinidad and Tobago | 1 | Digicel | |
| TSTT | |||
| Uruguay | 598 | ANTEL | |
| Claro | |||
| Movistar | |||
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 1 | AT&T/Cingular | |
| T-Mobile | |||
| Venezuela | 58 | Movilnet | |
| Movistar | |||
| Middle East | Afghanistan | 93 | AWCC |
| Israel | 972 | Pelephone | |
| Kuwait | 965 | VIVA | |
| Wataniya Telecom | |||
| Zain | |||
| Oman | 968 | OMAN MOBILE | |
| Qatar | 974 | Qatarnet | |
| Saudi Arabia | 966 | STC | |
| United Arab Emirates | 971 | ETISALAT | |
| du | |||
| Africa | Burundi | 257 | Econet Wireless |
| Egypt | 20 | Mobinil | |
| Vodafone | |||
| Kenya | 254 | Airtel | |
| Safaricom | |||
| Liberia | 231 | Cellcom | |
| Mauritius | 230 | EMTEL | |
| Nigeria | 234 | MTN | |
| Tanzania | 255 | Vodacom | |
| Tunisia | 216 | Tunisiana | |
| Satellite | Inmarsat | 870 | Inmarsat |
- 1 An island that is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean.
- International SMS may be unable to be sent or received between some overseas operators due to Mobile Number Portability.
- International SMS may also be available for use with operators and in regions other than those above (e.g., DOCOMO USA Wireless in North America). Communications charges will still be incurred in such cases.
- The service may not be available if the recipient is roaming in an area or with an operator other than the above.
- International SMS sent from users of overseas operators cannot be received if the main text is in excess of 70 kana characters (full-size) or 160 alphanumeric characters (half-size). Such messages will not be recorded in your phone's message history. Certain handsets will receive the messages broken down into sections, but they may not be received correctly. (As of April 30, 2010)
Usage charges
| Application | Not required |
| Monthly charge | Free |
| Payment | Charges will be included on the regular DOCOMO mobile phone bill. |
International SMS communications charges
| Sending | Receiving |
| ¥50/message | Free |
- Free communications allowances, such as those included in the basic monthly charge, apply to International SMS communications charges.
- The communications allowances in FOMA Data Communications Billing Plans will not apply.
Various discounts such as Mail Tsukai-hodai, Pake-hodai double and Flat-rate Data Plans will also not apply to packet communications charges. - The above charges will apply regardless of your billing plan.
- Charges are non-taxable.
- International SMS is not included in the cumulative monthly charges subject to the WORLD WING monthly limit for service suspension and WORLD CALL monthly limit on communications charges.
