How Long Does U.S. Cellular Keep Text Message Content? Answered

Short Answer

U.S. Cellular, one of the largest mobile service providers in the country, keeps the content of your text messages stored on its servers for three to five days. The company also keeps call history records and general information about text messages for a full calendar year. Find out more about how U.S. Cellular may use and store your data below.

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How Long Does U.S. Cellular Keep Text Message Content?

Content storage practices vary by cellular provider. In the case of U.S. Cellular, the company stores text message content for three to five days after messages are sent. General details about text messages are retained for up to one year. We spoke to a U.S. Cellular customer service representative to verify this information.

If you are a U.S. Cellular account holder, you can access your own call records and text message content online, over the phone, or in person at a U.S. Cellular retail store near you. The information is not accessible to anyone else, with one exception: law enforcement agencies may be able to access your text message content if it’s required during the course of an investigation.

U.S. Cellular does not routinely read its customers’ text messages, customer service representatives told us. However, the company reserves the right to monitor text messages for “reasonable business purposes,” including compliance with laws and regulations. You can find out more about the company’s policies on the U.S. Cellular Messaging Services Terms and Conditions page.

What Other Types of Data Does U.S. Cellular Keep?

U.S. Cellular keeps a record of your call history for one rolling calendar year. This means that the past 365 days of call history data is stored; records older than one year are deleted. U.S. Cellular also keeps your billing history and subscriber information on file for seven years.

How Long Do Other Carriers Store Text Message Content?

If you’re not a U.S. Cellular account holder, or if you prefer to use a carrier that does not retain text message content, there are other major carriers that do not do this. Below, we list how long the other top cell phone service providers store your text message content and general details, according to data from the U.S. Department of Justice: