The character count 'issue' is to do with software, even though it's not an issue.
Once character count is enabled, it won't show the count unless you go onto the second line of a text message. To test it out, just click 'Return' when typing a text message or type a text longer than one line and the character count will be enabled.
Thanks mate. Got it sorted. Cuz I hardly ever text - and when I do its only a couple of words - I never got to the 2nd line