[DaPeeps]

No, Oz does use text messages. It uses both actually. I believe it uses data to connect and get buddy list info, etc. However, to send and rcv IM's, it uses texts. I found this out the hard way one time....got hit with an 800 dollar bill for text messages on Cingular/AT&T. Who knows, I guess maybe it could differe from Carrier to carrier, but I doubt it.

This is the reason that alot of people who use Oz start getting wierd text messages from odd numbers that they've never seen. Its a well known and documented issue with Oz, and apparently its caused by turning the phone off or exiting Oz without first physically logging out of the services. When you do that, you start getting wierd text messages from 5 digit numbers. There are a variety of fixes people have reported, and they work sometimes, othertimes they don't. Its the most bizzare thing. I've had this happen to me several times, and gfinally got so sick of it that I just quit using Oz.

Get Jivetalk, Palringo, Octrotalk, or Fring. All are free, and all work well. Agile and IM+ are good as well, but cost cash. Live messenger is good too if you are just using Windows Live.