# Possibly dumb question about text messages **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-dumb-question-about-text-messages/553662 "2010-09-13T23:19:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-dumb-question-about-text-messages/553662/1 "2010-09-13T23:19:46Z")
If someone sends you a text message (SSM) while your cell phone is turned off, when you turn your phone on, will the message arrive? Or will it be lost forever? ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-dumb-question-about-text-messages/553662/2 "2010-09-13T23:36:57Z")
Mine show up when I turn the phone on. ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-dumb-question-about-text-messages/553662/3 "2010-09-13T23:45:46Z")
I have an iPhone and texts are there waiting for me. Kinda like how your e-mail is still waiting for you even if your 'puter is off. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-dumb-question-about-text-messages/553662/4 "2010-09-14T00:39:16Z")
K, thank you. I thought so, but wasn’t sure. 🙂 (I have a blackberry.) ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-dumb-question-about-text-messages/553662/5 "2010-09-14T21:10:26Z")
**ThelmaLou** , it should be noted though that most carriers (carriers being Verizon, Sprint, ATT, I only have experience with ATT myself) will not deliver the messages should your phone be turned off for prolonged periods of several days at a time. So if you’re gone for a week overseas, you may not get all or many of your text messages that were sent several days previously. But if the phone is off for a day, or a half day while you travel? Yep, you’re sure to get 'em all. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-dumb-question-about-text-messages/553662/6 "2010-09-14T21:22:09Z")
Right, there’s a limit to how long the messages will hang around. In the tariff structures I work with, there’s often a branch for “expired” messages that gives the sender a refund once the system decides the message isn’t going to go through. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-dumb-question-about-text-messages/553662/7 "2010-09-15T02:27:22Z")
Thanks for those extra notes. I only had my phone off for a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-dumb-question-about-text-messages/553662/8 "2010-09-15T14:55:36Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > If someone sends you a text message **(SSM)** while your cell phone is turned off, when you turn your phone on, will the message arrive? Or will it be lost forever? I don’t know what happens if someone sends you a Same Sex Marriage, but if they send you a Short Message Service (SMS) then it will arrive the next time you switch the phone on. 😃