Understanding SMS Usage and Limits

Your SMS plan is billed monthly, but your usage is measured on a rolling 30-day basis and calculated using message segments.

What is a Segment?

A segment is the unit used to measure SMS messages. While you send messages one at a time to patients, each message may count as one or more segments depending on its length and content.

• Short messages typically use one segment.
• Longer messages are automatically split into multiple segments, and each segment is counted toward your limit.

What is a Rolling 30-day Limit?

There is no fixed reset date for your SMS usage. Instead, your usage is always based on the messages sent in the last 30 days. Each segment you send is counted immediately and remains part of your usage for 30 days. After that, it is no longer included, which gradually frees up capacity.

If you send a high number of messages today, they will continue to count toward your limit for the next 30 days. As those messages age out, your available capacity increases.

Why This Matters

Your available message capacity can change daily based on recent activity. If you are approaching your limit, it is usually due to messages sent within the past 30 days, not your billing date. Because longer messages use more segments, message length can also impact how quickly you reach your limit.

What to Keep in Mind

• Usage is based on segments, not just the number of messages.
• Longer messages may count as multiple segments.
• Your usage reflects the last 30 days, not your billing cycle.
• There is no reset where usage returns to zero.
• If you regularly reach your limit, you can increase your message capacity at any time to ensure communication with your patients continues without interruption.