What are binary SMS messages?
Binary SMS messages are used to send data, usually rich content or small files, in addition to transferring telephone system settings, ringtones, and WAP-Push messages.
Technically, a binary SMS is actually an XML-formatted text SMS made up of up to 140 bytes of data. This data is split into two distinct parts – the user data header (UDH) and the message data. UDH notifies mobile phones about the type of data in the message, defining the type of content being sent.
How do I send a binary SMS? (for developers)
To send a binary message, you need to specify in your request:
type — Set to “binary” content — The binary content in hexadecimal udh — Include if your message has a User Data Header
JSON example (to UK number)
![](https://cdn-web.infobip.com/uploads/2023/02/json-example.webp)
XML example (to US number)
![](https://cdn-web.infobip.com/uploads/2023/02/xml-example.webp)