SMS Smart Encoding

Last Modified on 07/28/2025 9:49 am MDT

SMS Smart Encoding is a feature within Ascent360 that monitors for hidden Unicode characters in text message compositions and automatically converts them their nearest non-Unicode counterpart. This helps reduce unwanted segment increases resulting from including a Unicode character that could easily be represented as a non-Unicode character. 

What is Unicode? 

When composing a text message in Ascent360, you may insert alphanumeric characters, special characters, and emojis to create your message. 

Depending on the characters used, your SMS message will be encoded in one of two ways; these different encoding methods have different per-segment character limits as described in Create a Text Message. In short: 

Message TypeSegment Character Limit
One segment SMS with plain text (no unicode or emojis)160
One segment SMS with emojis70
Multiple segment SMS with plain text (no unicode or emojis)153
Multiple segment SMS with emojis67
MMS1600 (1000 or fewer recommended for plain text; 500 or fewer recommended for emojis)

Emojis (😊✉️💬) are Unicode and are easily visually identifiable as such. However, many other characters that look like plain text are actually Unicode as well. For example, these characters: ‘  -  ＆ are all Unicode. 

Smart Encoding

Smart Encoding enables Ascent360 to automatically detect these hidden Unicode characters and convert them to a non-Unicode counterpart whenever these are typed or pasted into the SMS composition tool. 

Smart Encoding can be enabled and disabled in your Account Settings on the SMS tab. Smart Encoding only affects SMS messages. 

Once enabled, Smart Encoding will affect all text messages going forward. You may choose to temporarily disable Smart Encoding if there is a Unicode character that you want to use and remain unconverted for a particular text message. 

See the table below for a full list of characters that are supported and converted by Smart Encoding. In the "Transliterated Character" column, a blank indicates a space. 

UnicodeGlyphDescriptionTransliterated Character
U+FF10０Fullwidth Digit Zero0
U+FF11１Fullwidth Digit One1
U+FF12２Fullwidth Digit Two2
U+FF13３Fullwidth Digit Three3
U+FF14４Fullwidth Digit Four4
U+FF15５Fullwidth Digit Five5
U+FF16６Fullwidth Digit Six6
U+FF17７Fullwidth Digit Seven7
U+FF18８Fullwidth Digit Eight8
U+FF19９Fullwidth Digit Nine9
U+00BD½Vulgar Fraction One Half1/2
U+2153⅓Vulgar Fraction One Third1/3
U+00BC¼Vulgar Fraction One Quarter1/4
U+2155⅕Vulgar Fraction One Fifth1/5
U+2152⅒Vulgar Fraction One Tenth1/10
U+2154⅔Vulgar Fraction Two Thirds2/3
U+2156⅖Vulgar Fraction Two Fifths2/5
U+00BE¾Vulgar Fraction Three Quarters3/4
U+2157⅗Vulgar Fraction Three Fifths3/5
U+2158⅘Vulgar Fraction Four Fifths4/5
U+00B4´Acute Accent'
U+0313̓Combining Comma Above'
U+0314̔Combining Reversed Comma Above'
U+FF07＇Fullwidth Apostrophe'
U+0060`Grave Accent'
U+275C❜Heavy Single Comma Quotation Mark Ornament'
U+275B❛Heavy Single Turned Comma Quotation Mark Ornament'
U+2018'Left Single Quotation Mark'
U+02CAˊModifier Letter Acute Accent'
U+02BCʼModifier Letter Apostrophe'
U+02CBˋModifier Letter Grave Accent'
U+02B9ʹModifier Letter Prime'
U+02BDʽModifier Letter Reversed Comma'
U+02BBʻModifier Letter Turned Comma'
U+02C8ˈModifier Letter Vertical Line'
U+00A0
No-Break Space
U+FE10︐Presentation Form For Vertical Comma'
U+FE11︑Presentation Form For Vertical Ideographic Comma'
U+2019'Right Single Quotation Mark'
U+201B‛Single High-Reversed-9 Quotation Mark'
U+2000
Whitespace: En Quad
U+2022•Bullet-
U+2014—Em Dash-
U+2013-En Dash-
U+FF0D－Fullwidth Hyphen-Minus-
U+2015―Horizontal Bar-
U+23BC⎼Horizontal Scan Line-7-
U+23BD⎽Horizontal Scan Line-9-
U+2010‐Hyphen-
U+2043⁃Hyphen Bullet-
U+FE63﹣Small Hyphen-Minus-
U+FF01！Fullwidth Exclamation Mark!
U+01C3ǃLatin Letter Retroflex Click!
U+FE15︕Presentation Form For Vertical Exclamation Mark!
U+FE57﹗Small Exclamation Mark!
U+203C‼Double Exclamation Mark!!
U+2260≠Not Equal To!=
U+201F‟Double High-Reversed-9 Quotation Mark"
U+201E„Double Low Quotation Mark"
U+301E〞Double Prime Quotation Mark"
U+FF02＂Fullwidth Quotation Mark"
U+275E❞Heavy Double Comma Quotation Mark Ornament"
U+275D❝Heavy Double Turned Comma Quotation Mark Ornament"
U+201C"Left Double Quotation Mark"
U+00AB«Left-Pointing Double Angle Quotation Mark"
U+02EEˮModifier Letter Double Apostrophe"
U+02BAʺModifier Letter Double Prime"
U+301D〝Reversed Double Prime Quotation Mark"
U+201D"Right Double Quotation Mark"
U+00BB»Right-Pointing Double Angle Quotation Mark"
U+FF03＃Fullwidth Number Sign#
U+FE5F﹟Small Number Sign#
U+FF04＄Fullwidth Dollar Sign$
U+FE69﹩Small Dollar Sign$
U+FF05％Fullwidth Percent Sign%
U+FE6A﹪Small Percent Sign%
U+FF06＆Fullwidth Ampersand&
U+FE60﹠Small Ampersand&
U+FF08（Fullwidth Left Parenthesis(
U+2985⦅Left White Parenthesis(
U+27EE⟮Mathematical Left Flattened Parenthesis(
U+276A❪Medium Flattened Left Parenthesis Ornament(
U+2768❨Medium Left Parenthesis Ornament(
U+FE59﹙Small Left Parenthesis(
U+FF09）Fullwidth Right Parenthesis)
U+27EF⟯Mathematical Right Flattened Parenthesis)
U+276B❫Medium Flattened Right Parenthesis Ornament)
U+2769❩Medium Right Parenthesis Ornament)
U+2986⦆Right White Parenthesis)
U+FE5A﹚Small Right Parenthesis)
U+2217∗Asterisk Operator*
U+2749❉Balloon-Spoked Asterisk*
U+229B⊛Circled Asterisk Operator*
U+2733✳Eight Spoked Asterisk*
U+274A❊Eight Teardrop-Spoked Propeller Asterisk*
U+2723✣Four Balloon-Spoked Asterisk*
U+2725✥Four Club-Spoked Asterisk*
U+2722✢Four Teardrop-Spoked Asterisk*
U+FF0A＊Fullwidth Asterisk*
U+2731✱Heavy Asterisk*
U+274B❋Heavy Eight Teardrop-Spoked Propeller Asterisk*
U+2724✤Heavy Four Balloon-Spoked Asterisk*
U+273D✽Heavy Teardrop-Spoked Asterisk*
U+2743❃Heavy Teardrop-Spoked Pinwheel Asterisk*
U+204E⁎Low Asterisk*
U+2732✲Open Center Asterisk*
U+273C✼Open Center Teardrop-Spoked Asterisk*
U+273A✺Sixteen Pointed Asterisk*
U+FE61﹡Small Asterisk*
U+29C6⧆Squared Asterisk*
U+273B✻Teardrop-Spoked Asterisk*
U+0326̦Combining Comma Below,
U+FF0C，Fullwidth Comma,
U+FF64､Halfwidth Ideographic Comma,
U+3001、Ideographic Comma,
U+201A‚Single Low-9 Quotation Mark,
U+FE50﹐Small Comma,
U+FE51﹑Small Ideographic Comma,
U+FF0E．Fullwidth Full Stop.
U+FF61｡Halfwidth Ideographic Full Stop.
U+3002。Ideographic Full Stop.
U+FE52﹒Small Full Stop.
U+2026…Horizontal Ellipsis...
U+22EF⋯Midline Horizontal Ellipsis...
U+29F8⧸Big Solidus/
U+0338̸Combining Long Solidus Overlay/
U+0337̷Combining Short Solidus Overlay/
U+00F7÷Division Sign/
U+2215∕Division Slash/
U+2044⁄Fraction Slash/
U+FF0F／Fullwidth Solidus/
U+FF1A：Fullwidth Colon:
U+A789꞉Modifier Letter Colon:
U+02F8˸Modifier Letter Raised Colon:
U+02D0ːModifier Letter Triangular Colon:
U+FE13︓Presentation Form For Vertical Colon:
U+2982⦂Z Notation Type Colon:
U+FF1B；Fullwidth Semicolon;
U+FE14︔Presentation Form For Vertical Semicolon;
U+204F⁏Reversed Semicolon;
U+FE54﹔Small Semicolon;
U+FF1F？Fullwidth Question Mark?
U+FE16︖Presentation Form For Vertical Question Mark?
U+FE56﹖Small Question Mark?
U+2048⁈Question Exclamation Mark?!
U+2047⁇Double Question Mark??
U+FF20＠Fullwidth Commercial At Sign@
U+FE6B﹫Small Commercial At Sign@
U+FF3B［Fullwidth Left Square Bracket[
U+29F9⧹Big Reverse Solidus\
U+20E5◌⃥Combining Reverse Solidus Overlay\
U+FF3C＼Fullwidth Reverse Solidus\
U+29F5⧵Reverse Solidus Operator\
U+FE68﹨Small Reverse Solidus\
U+FF3D］Fullwidth Right Square Bracket]
U+0302̂Combining Circumflex Accent^
U+1DCD᷍Combining Double Circumflex Above^
U+FF3E＾Fullwidth Circumflex Accent^
U+02C6ˆModifier Letter Circumflex Accent^
U+0332̲Combining Low Line_
U+2017‗Double Low Line_
U+FF3F＿Fullwidth Low Line_
U+FF5B｛Fullwidth Left Curly Bracket{
U+2774❴Medium Left Curly Bracket Ornament{
U+FE5B﹛Small Left Curly Bracket{
U+20D2⃒Combining Long Vertical Line Overlay|
U+20D3⃓Combining Short Vertical Line Overlay|
U+2223∣Divides|
U+FF5C｜Fullwidth Vertical Line|
U+239C⎜Left Parenthesis Extension|
U+23B8⎸Left Vertical Box Line|
U+239F⎟Right Parenthesis Extension|
U+23B9⎹Right Vertical Box Line|
U+23D0⏐Vertical Line Extension|
U+FF5D｝Fullwidth Right Curly Bracket}
U+2775❵Medium Right Curly Bracket Ornament}
U+FE5C﹜Small Right Curly Bracket}
U+0303̃Combining Tilde~
U+0330̰Combining Tilde Below~
U+0334̴Combining Tilde Overlay~
U+FF5E～Fullwidth Tilde~
U+02F7˷Modifier Letter Low Tilde~
U+02DC˜Small Tilde~
U+223C∼Tilde Operator~
U+FF0B＋Fullwidth Plus Sign+
U+02D6˖Modifier Letter Plus Sign+
U+FE62﹢Small Plus Sign+
U+FF1C＜Fullwidth Less-Than Sign<
U+203A›Single Right-Pointing Angle Quotation Mark<
U+FE64﹤Small Less-Than Sign<
U+226A≪Much Less-Than<<
U+0347͇Combining Equals Sign Below=
U+FF1D＝Fullwidth Equals Sign=
U+A78A꞊Modifier Letter Short Equals Sign=
U+FE66﹦Small Equals Sign=
U+FF1E＞Fullwidth Greater-Than Sign>
U+2039‹Single Left-Pointing Angle Quotation Mark>
U+FE65﹥Small Greater-Than Sign>
U+226B≫Much Greater-Than>>
U+FF21ＡFullwidth Latin Capital Letter AA
U+1D00ᴀLatin Letter Small Capital AA
U+FF22ＢFullwidth Latin Capital Letter BB
U+0299ʙLatin Letter Small Capital BB
U+FF23ＣFullwidth Latin Capital Letter CC
U+1D04ᴄLatin Letter Small Capital CC
U+FF24ＤFullwidth Latin Capital Letter DD
U+1D05ᴅLatin Letter Small Capital DD
U+FF25ＥFullwidth Latin Capital Letter EE
U+1D07ᴇLatin Letter Small Capital EE
U+FF26ＦFullwidth Latin Capital Letter FF
U+A730ꜰLatin Letter Small Capital FF
U+FF27ＧFullwidth Latin Capital Letter GG
U+0262ɢLatin Letter Small Capital GG
U+FF28ＨFullwidth Latin Capital Letter HH
U+029CʜLatin Letter Small Capital HH
U+FF29ＩFullwidth Latin Capital Letter II
U+026AɪLatin Letter Small Capital II
U+FF2AＪFullwidth Latin Capital Letter JJ
U+1D0AᴊLatin Letter Small Capital JJ
U+FF2BＫFullwidth Latin Capital Letter KK
U+1D0BᴋLatin Letter Small Capital KK
U+FF2CＬFullwidth Latin Capital Letter LL
U+029FʟLatin Letter Small Capital LL
U+FF2DＭFullwidth Latin Capital Letter MM
U+1D0DᴍLatin Letter Small Capital MM
U+FF2EＮFullwidth Latin Capital Letter NN
U+0274ɴLatin Letter Small Capital NN
U+FF2FＯFullwidth Latin Capital Letter OO
U+1D0FᴏLatin Letter Small Capital OO
U+FF30ＰFullwidth Latin Capital Letter PP
U+1D18ᴘLatin Letter Small Capital PP
U+FF31ＱFullwidth Latin Capital Letter QQ
U+FF32ＲFullwidth Latin Capital Letter RR
U+0280ʀLatin Letter Small Capital RR
U+FF33ＳFullwidth Latin Capital Letter SS
U+A731ꜱLatin Letter Small Capital SS
U+FF34ＴFullwidth Latin Capital Letter TT
U+1D1BᴛLatin Letter Small Capital TT
U+FF35ＵFullwidth Latin Capital Letter UU
U+1D1CᴜLatin Letter Small Capital UU
U+FF36ＶFullwidth Latin Capital Letter VV
U+1D20ᴠLatin Letter Small Capital VV
U+FF37ＷFullwidth Latin Capital Letter WW
U+1D21ᴡLatin Letter Small Capital WW
U+FF38ＸFullwidth Latin Capital Letter XX
U+FF39ＹFullwidth Latin Capital Letter YY
U+028FʏLatin Letter Small Capital YY
U+FF3AＺFullwidth Latin Capital Letter ZZ
U+1D22ᴢLatin Letter Small Capital ZZ
U+009F
<Control>
U+0080
C1 Control Codes
U+009B
Control Sequence Introducer
U+0014
Device Control Four
U+0011
Device Control One
U+0090
Device Control String
U+0013
Device Control Three
U+0012
Device Control Two
U+0019
End Of Medium
U+0003
End Of Text
U+0004
End Of Transmission
U+0017
End Of Transmission Block
U+0010
Escape
U+0009
Horizontal Tabulation
U+3000
Ideographic Space
U+205F
Medium Mathematical Space
U+202F
Narrow No-Break Space
U+0000
Null
U+008D
Reverse Line Feed
U+2003
Whitespace: Em Space
U+2002
Whitespace: En Space
U+2007
Whitespace: Figure Space
U+2005
Whitespace: Four-Per-Em Space
U+200A
Whitespace: Hair Space
U+2028
Whitespace: Line Separator
U+2001
Whitespace: Medium Mathematical Space
U+2029
Whitespace: Paragraph Separator
U+2008
Whitespace: Punctuation Space
U+2006
Whitespace: Six-Per-Em Space
U+2009
Whitespace: Thin Space
U+2004
Whitespace: Three-Per-Em Space
U+2060⁠Word Joiner
U+FEFF
Zero Width No-Break Space
U+200B
Zero Width Space

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