Sending Text Messages (International SMS)

[Notice of Change: International SMS usage limit]
As of Wednesday, April 1, 2026, international SMS charges will be included in the usage limit for WORLD CALL.
If you are not subscribed to WORLD CALL, a usage limit applies only to international SMS sending charges. For further details, please make sure to click the link below. https://www.docomo.ne.jp/info/notice/page/260130_00.html (in Japanese only)

[Notice of International SMS usage limit]
The limit on the number of international SMS messages, which has been applied to customers who entered into new contracts on or after as of Monday, August 26, 2024, will be lifted as of Tuesday, June 30, 2026. For further details, please make sure to click the link below. https://www.docomo.ne.jp/info/notice/page/240820_01.html(in Japanese only)

International SMS (Short Message Service)

Sending Text Messages (International SMS)
  • Application: Not required

You can send text messages from a DOCOMO mobile phone to a local mobile phone.

How to Send

Send a text message to a local mobile phone

[+] [Recipient's Country Code] [Recipient's Phone Number] [Enter Text] ⇒ Send

(Example) UK mobile phone: 07XXX XXX XXX

  • If the recipient's mobile phone number begins with 0, omit this and dial the following phone number (excludes certain countries and regions).

How to key a [+]: Hold [0] for over a second.

  • The method for keying a [+] varies by model. Please check your instruction manual, etc., for details.
  • With regard to SMS delivery notifications, in the case of certain mobile carriers, such as where the sender's carrier is in the United States, China, South Korea, or the Philippines, these will be sent at the time when the message arrives at the message center used by the sender's carrier (no fee will be charged).

Countries, regions, and overseas communications carriers that are able to send and receive

  1. An island in the Australian Federal Territory in the Indian Ocean.
  2. The country code for Netherlands Sint Marten is 1, but please dial 590 to send an International SMS to Dauphin.
  • Due to Number Portability, there may be cases where International SMS messages cannot be sent and received with certain overseas carriers.
  • There may be cases where International SMS is available outside of the regions and carriers listed above. Fees will apply if you use SMS in such cases.
  • SMS may be unavailable in cases such as where the recipient is currently roaming outside of the regions and carriers listed above.
  • For International SMS messages sent from a user of an overseas carrier, in cases where the size of the message exceeds 70 full-width characters or 160 single-byte characters, on certain models this may be received in the form of multiple split SMS messages, and when this occurs, such messages may not be received correctly.

Fees

Basic Monthly Fee None
Payment The fees will be invoiced together with the invoice for your regular mobile phone.

International SMS Fees

Sending: 50 to 500 JPY, depending on the number of characters being sent. (The number of characters that can be sent per message varies by model and application used)

Receiving: Free

# of Characters Sent Fee per Message
In the case of half-width English letters only In the case of full-width characters
1-160 characters 1-70 characters 50 JPY
161-306 characters 71-134 characters 100 JPY
307-459 characters 135-201 characters 150 JPY
460-612 characters 202-268 characters 200 JPY
613-765 characters 269-335 characters 250 JPY
766-918 characters 336-402 characters 300 JPY
919-1071 characters 403-469 characters 350 JPY
1072-1224 characters 470-536 characters 400 JPY
1225-1377 characters 537-603 characters 450 JPY
1378-1530 characters 604-670 characters 500 JPY
  • There may be cases where the service is unavailable due to model or communication issues.
  • If "Refuse SMS" is set for within Japan, you will be unable to receive International SMS messages, even when overseas.
  • There may be cases where "a maximum of 670 characters (1530 characters in the case of half-width English letters only) can be sent and received" is stated in the L-01F instruction manual (quick start guide); however, messages of 71 characters or more (161 characters or more in the case of half-width English letters only) will fail to send. (A fee will not be charged.)
  • Short Message Service (SMS) cannot be used on an iPad.
  • The fees for sending SMS messages when using WORLD WING are different.
  • It is not subject to toll-free communications included in the Xi data communication dedicated plans .In addition, communication fees are not subject to the various discounted services provided in Data fixed rate services, etc.

Regarding the International SMS Usage Limit

If you are not subscribed to WORLD CALL, a usage limit applies only to international SMS sending charges, and the initial limit is set at JPY 20,000.

Notes on using International SMS

  • Consumption tax, etc., is not added to call and communication fees for the various international services.
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