How to Send an SMS Worldwide

1. Confirm with your mobile phone network that your international messaging service is active. If not, request for the activation. Check the destination country of your intended recipient, if it is a part of the list of global partners of your network. Most telecom companies provide international texting services to hundreds of countries all over the world. However, there are still some countries that may not be available for their services. In such case, you won't be able to send an SMS.
2. Know the format required by your network in sending an SMS to an international phone number. The general format often used by popular telecoms like AT&T and T-Mobile requires the use of a '+' sign, followed by the SMS recipient's country code, area code or network code (instead of the area code of the state or city, the telecom company of the recipient's mobile phone uses its own network code), then the mobile phone number. For Sprint, you must first dial the international exit code '011' instead of the '+' sign before keying in the country code, area code or network code, then the mobile phone number.
3. Verify the mobile phone number of your SMS recipient. Since in some countries, people may call mobile phones locally without using the country code, among other possible differences in formats for international calls, you have to figure out the correct format on your own, in accordance to the instructions provided by your network. The easiest way to get the correct format is by first confirming the country code, which is easily accessible through online sources and even your own network's website, then the area code or network code (sometimes called the network provider prefix), which you can also find online or by asking the mobile phone network of your recipient.It is always best to ask your international SMS recipient to provide you with the complete mobile phone number with the country code, area code or network code and mobile phone number.
4. Type your message, then key in your mobile phone recipient's number, according to the required format for sending an international SMS. Note that there are networks and mobile phone handsets that limit the number of characters sent to 160. Anything beyond this may be allowed, but it will mean twice the cost of a typical international SMS.
5. Press the 'Send' key and wait for the 'Message Sent' prompt that confirms the sending of the SMS.