In tables I'm using column type "varchar" or "nvarchar" instead "text". And also I use for example varchar(8000). And there is "a bug". :) PHP will read this column only as varchar(255). So how to read more then 255 chars from varchar(8000)? It is very easy, use CAST to convert varchar type to text type.

select CAST(Comment as TEXT) from Job

PHP will read it. Check php.ini section [MSSQL] and set maximum text length. Check parameters in php.ini
mssql.textlimit = 4096
mssql.textsize = 4096
Maximum length is 2147483647