Texting images, gifs, and videos to your contacts


MMS, or multimedia messaging service, is a text messaging type that includes some amount of text with the potential to include many file types and even multiple files at a time. While SMS messages are text-only and divided by segments, ThruText sends MMS messages as a single segment with a media file. Since MMS messages aren't divided into segments, if you plan to send a long initial message (up to 1600 characters), consider making it an MMS! 


MMS throughput depends upon your group's carrier makeup and your organization's 10DLC details (brand registration and use case type.) The lowest possible sending rate is 3k messages per hour, but in most cases, the throughput is higher, especially for Charity and Political use cases. For campaigns with long initial messages, sending MMS messages may be more 10DLC compliant. Please reach out to [email protected] to get more details about your specific use case.


NOTE - MMS messaging is available to U.S. and Canadian accounts.


TABLE OF CONTENTS


What files can I send?

The file types accepted for MMS in ThruText

  • .png
  • .jpg
  • .pdf
  • .gif
  • .mp4
  • .mov
  • .mpg
  • .webm


The recommended file size for image files, gifs, and PDFS is 500kb. Larger files can be uploaded (up to 1.5mb), but these larger files may negatively impact deliverability. Video file types aren't restricted to the recommended 500kb limit like other media types, but longer videos are automatically re-encoded to be sent through the messaging system. If the re-encoded file is too large, you will see a warning about the file when it is uploaded.


What is the cost of MMS in ThruText?

For current clients, please refer to your contract. Pricing can also be found on our pricing page. 


How do I get started?

Get started sending ThruText MMS in 3 easy steps:

  1. Add an image to your Media Library

  2. 10DLC and Use Cases (U.S. only)

  3. Create your campaign and add your media file!


How fast can I send MMS messages?

Due to carrier limitations, MMS messages have a separate and lower throughput than SMS messages. You can read more about SMS and MMS throughput.

Since MMS messages have a lower throughput, admins may observe that their messages have not finished sending before the campaign closes for the evening as ThruText prevents messages from going out too late. If MMS messages are not sent out before the campaign closes, (and the campaign will open again the next day) then, in the SuperCollider, they will be scheduled to be sent as soon as the campaign opens the next day. 


How do I know how many MMS messages I sent?

When your texters send your MMS campaigns, the initial message is counted as an MMS message. As replies do not contain media, they are counted as SMS messages. Admins and account owners can refer to their Usage Analytics page, campaign exports, or account-level exports for MMS and SMS totals.


For billing purposes, please refer to your contract for your MMS and SMS rates.


Other tips

MMS texts can only include a single media file.

MMS texts must include a media file, and cannot be text-only.


Media files can only be added to initial messages and are not available for recommended replies at this time. Initial messages that contain media are considered MMS, but since outgoing replies cannot have media, they are considered SMS.


Before launching, switching between "MMS Approved" use cases and unapproved use cases will remove the image from the initial message.


If your launched SMS campaign has an "MMS Approved" use case, you can pause the campaign and add an image or GIF to make it an MMS campaign.

MMS is only available in the US and Canada at this time.