Why was there such a delay on getting the message?

[tigwig]

Last night I received a text message on my mobile from my daughter's school at 9.50pm. As it happened I felt unwell, was in bed and the phone woke me up! GRRR. Anyway I went to school this morning to speak to the headteacher and she said she had sent the messages at around 6pm. I was texting my friend earlier in the evening until 8.45 so I know the phone was working fine then so why didn't I get the school's message straight away?

[Count-A-Strong]

different networks?

[tigwig]

I don't know what network the school use but was sent another message this morning and received it straight away. The headteacher mentioned it.

[another-view]

Although SMS is usually pretty instant. It is not always so. Similarly some emails can take days to arrive. Do NOT rely on it for important messages.

[Buenchico]

As Another-View indicates, SMS is an imperfect technology. It relies upon messages being passed along a lengthy chain, with the possibility of an error occurring at any stage. It's far from unusual for text messages to suffer substantial delays. I sent a text to my friend, on a Saturday evening, to ask if he wanted to join me in the pub. He received the message on the following Wednesday morning.

Chris

[4getmenot]

dont know whats wrong with just picking up the phone, especially a school

[Hopkirk]

It takes a long time to ring all the parents 4Get.

[cazzz1975]

because if the school has to send blanket news they are not going to phone 200+ parents, my kids school send messages, sometimes I get them quick sometimes It takes hours, I think its more about the network than the school.

like AV says, dont use them for urgent info

[4getmenot]

Ok! Sorry I didnt know it was blanket news. Well if just that why the worry you got it late. Move on

[factor-fiction]

4get me not- I agree with you if it was a one-off call.
But it may well have been a standard message that was being sent to large number of parents, so individual calls may have been impracticable

[cazzz1975]

lol 4get, I dont know if it is blanket news, normally my kids schools use texts to inform parents of closures or remind about forms ect. if its a personal thing like they are ill then they tend to phone

[4getmenot]

yer I didnt know, not being a parent and all