how do I send SMS through data plan?

1magine · #1 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 07:10 PM

hi guys,
i've never been a big text message fan until i bought my mogul. from what i believe, we get charged per text message we send (outgoing) right? what program do i use to be able to receive SMS so that it goes through my data plan and i dont get charged per SMS?
thanks again.

TMB_XV6700 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1magine

hi guys,
i've never been a big text message fan until i bought my mogul. from what i believe, we get charged per text message we send (outgoing) right? what program do i use to be able to receive SMS so that it goes through my data plan and i dont get charged per SMS?
thanks again.

1magine,
Your Bell Mobility SMS constraints may be different, and there may be some obscure hack that I'm missing, but in general your options are limited (based on Verizon experience) to:
a) conventional email send and receive (i.e. with other email users)
b) conventional SMS receive (pay$) and reply through email if the recipient's carrier supports it (e.g. ##########@vtext.com for verizon)
c) Open IE and go to the web messaging page of carrier whose phone you want to text. (www.vtext.com for verizon, http://www.txt.bellmobility.ca/bmc/en/ for yours). With VW you can initiate a conversation from this page, and people can reply from their phones to it. I just don't know persistent the session would be. I didn't check BM for you.
d) Free mobile IM program like palringo. - no SMS interface, just a substitute. Your friends with flip phones need to enable Mobile IM on their handsets. Their IMs get charged like text, yours are included w/ data.

All of these manage to avoid some text charges, but their drawbacks keep me on SMS.

Please post back if you find something different - I'd like to save some money on SMS too.

1magine · #3 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 09:17 PM

hey thanks for the reply
i always thought palringo and agile supported SMS?
but i downloaded palringo and i couldnt figure out how to send text messages to my friends phone numbers.
so there is no program that can send SMS through data plan yet?? danggggg
someone create this please

TMB_XV6700 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 09:37 PM

I believe it's not really a question of programs/software. The fact is that texting/SMS is a protocol that is completely under the control of the wireless carriers, and it generates a huge amount of revenue for them. Since you depend on them completely, you pretty much have to take what they give you....

**Baffles** · #5 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 10:44 PM

I get free unlimited texting under my SERO plan. If you have SERO, you should be able to get the perk pretty easily (it's automatically given to new customers until the end of December).

1magine · #6 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 01:26 AM

there are certain websites out there that send SMS for free. would someone be able to integrating that website into a Today plugin?

dangIT · #7 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 01:49 AM

if u use that much text....why don't you just pay for it monthly...lots cheaper than per text...talk to you customer service they might hook u up...quit being tight! lolz

1magine · #8 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 02:04 AM

because it adds up dude!
$60 (phone plan) + $100 (data plan) = $160 bucks a month right there not including all the hidden fees which charge up the ass.

Mr Crunk · #9 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1magine

because it adds up dude!
$60 (phone plan) + $100 (data plan) = $160 bucks a month right there not including all the hidden fees which charge up the ass.

Dang!!! I have the SERO plan for $49.99. Which includes 1250 mins, Unlimited N/W starting at 7PM, unlimited DATA, unlimited TEXT messaging. You may want to change to a SERO plan. Assuming, you are with Sprint.

Honestly, not to get too far in your business. If you are playing $160 per month for service...what's an extra $5 for 300-500 text messages? Or just paying $0.15 per message? I apologize if I'm being rude in this statement.

**schettj** · #10 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 10:06 AM

There is no way to receive SMS messages other then via SMS
You can usually send SMS messages via the email to sms gateways most providers have.

I agree with the others - if you're using SMS and the per-message charge is regularly over the bulk rate, just get a bulk rate plan. For example, Sprint has 500 for $5, or 10 cents each, which is 5 cents cheaper then the 15 cents a pop per-message rate. As long as you get & send more then 333/mo you'll save money with the bulk package. Less then that, it's cheaper to just pay as you go.

With the amount you are spending, you could just ask to see if they will give you a small bucket for free or a reduced rate.