How long do undelivered text messages last?

[g-boac]

Question - if I'm out of country and don't have phone service, what happens to my text messages? Are all of them queued for when I return home, or do undelivered text messages vaporize after a few days?

I've always noticed that when I return home from overseas travel, that I will have multiple voicemails waiting for me, even dating back a couple of weeks, but zero, or next to zero text messages. If any, I will have 1-2, all dated within a day or two of my return home.

Just wondering if undelivered messages disappear.

thanks!
Mark

 

[fehhkk]

The SMSCs (Short Message Service Centers) have a database to store your texts. Often they get stored for up to 15 days.

Picture messages are stored for around 7 days.

 

[Rhalliwell1]

i think it will depend on your network provider. I don't understand why you don't have signal abroad?

 

[g-boac]

i think it will depend on your network provider. I don't understand why you don't have signal abroad?

I leave my phone off primarily because I could not get any clarity from AT&T as to what all the charges are for using my phone (including text) internationally are. . .AND given that I get a second cell (from work) when I travel abroad, I just use the work cell.

Was just somewhat confused here because I generally get a high volume of text messages on a daily basis, but whenever coming back from overseas travel, seem to have disproportionally few waiting for me. . .and those that are, are always within a couple days of my return date. While voicemails, I have plenty of, and they are from throughout my duration of travel.

Mark

 

[tonphilou]

I've had the same experience than Mark (g-boac) for the text messages. Almost none, except a few, all dated from 1 to 3 days before returning from a trip. I can speak only for Verizon, even though I suspect the policies must be quite similar with the other providers, an agent confirmed to me that undelivered text messages are kept for 5 consecutive days before being deleted.