Systems and methods for communication of text messages

An access terminal comprising:

• a user interface to receive text message characters for a new text message;
• a transceiver to receive signals via a paging channel being monitored by the access terminal;
• a non-transitory data storage device storing computer-readable program instructions, an occupancy threshold, data indicating a first maximum number of text message characters, and data indicating a second maximum number of text message characters, wherein the first maximum number of text message characters is greater than the second maximum number of text message characters;
• and
• a processor to execute the computer-readable program instructions,
• wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to determine whether an occupancy level of an access channel, selected from one or more access channels associated with the monitored paging channel, exceeds the occupancy threshold or does not exceed the first occupancy threshold,
• wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor, in response to the processor determining that the occupancy level of the selected access channel exceeds the occupancy threshold, to cause the transceiver to transmit, via the selected access channel, at least two messages that include a respective portion of the received text message characters that does not exceed the second maximum number of text message characters;
• and
• wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor, in response to the processor determining that the occupancy level of the selected access channel does not exceed the occupancy threshold, to cause the transceiver to transmit, via the selected access channel, a message that includes a number of the received text message characters that does not exceed the first maximum number of text message characters.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable program instructions executable by a processor to (i) refer to stored data indicating a first maximum number of text message characters and stored data indicating a second maximum number of text message characters, wherein the first maximum number of text message characters is greater than the second maximum number of text message characters, (ii) receive text message characters for a new text message, (iii) determine whether an occupancy level of an access channel, selected from among one or more access channels associated with a monitored paging channel, exceeds a first occupancy threshold or does not exceed the first occupancy threshold, and (iv) in response to determining the occupancy level of the selected access channel exceeds the first occupancy threshold, transmitting at least two messages via the selected access channel, wherein each message of the at least two messages includes a respective portion of the received text message characters that does not exceed the second maximum number of text message characters, and in response to determining the occupancy level of the selected access channel does not exceed the first occupancy threshold, transmitting, via the selected access channel, a message that includes a number of the received text message characters that does not exceed the first maximum number of text message characters.