Is it true that US mobile phones don't have text messaging?

[Mark R]

Someone told me the other day that the US mobile phone system is so primitive it doesn't support text messaging. I can't believe that this is true.

Text messages are great - especially when you don't actually want to talk to the person! You can see why they are so incredibly popular - there are 56 million text messages sent each day in the UK.

 

[ltk007]

I think the newer phones do text messaging, I could be wrong.

 

[Czar]

Strange, all phones in iceland have sms support.

 

[DarK SagE]

Yeh kinds, the service is just comming to the U.S. MOst phones can recieve em but not send. AT&T recently activated the feature.

 

[optoman]

Its a great feature but I shutter at the thought of the guy next to me trying to read some text message while we're doing 75 on the highway.

 

[szymcom]

Voicestream has free incoming text messaging. Outgoing messaging costs $4.95 per month. There is a limit of the messages you send which equals the number of minutes in your plan. My Nokia 6190 sends/receives SMS with no problems.

Szymon

 

[beer]

Read them at 75?
I would like to see someone try to post them at 75

 

[bigvince]

ive had text messageing on my nextel for the past 2 years don't know about other services.

 

[Hawk]

PacBell gives the service for free for 6 months (but if you are asking about the phones, yes they can do text messages).

 

[ZeroBurn]

ANY gsm phone supports text messageing, technically called SMS. Pacbell has a GSM network, and therefore all their 5190/6190/etc phones support SMS. On their network though it's called "PCS Email" which is just their term for it.

numerous other networks carry text messaging, however SMS is exclusive only to GSM Networks. TDMA/CDMA networks have text-messaging as well, such as AT&T. But with SMS, you're able to send/receive data in general, which is why Nokia phones can receive/send logos, ringtones, etc. It's through SMS.

 

[THELAIR]

Here in canada, we have the "Fido" network.

In fact you can all send me a message by going to their web page

www.fido.ca

there is a link at hte bottom left that says "voice messaging"
type in my area code (403) and then my cell # (708-6421) and then you have room for 160 characters.

Only prob is that I cant reply back by typing my own message on my cellphone.

Sucks
oh well....

i rarely use the service even with other friends that have a fido network phone

Mines a 5190 btw

 

[ZeroBurn]

Fido works as well. i never reply to message very often anyway, unless it's a phone-to-phone message that requires a reply, it's just too much of a hassle. usually they send it from a webpage too so you can't reply anyway.

 

[Croton]

no 'cause i got it.

 

[BigSmooth]

Sprint PCS got the feature about 2.5 years ago. I don't know if you can send, and they charge extra to receive, I believe.

 

[ZeroBurn]

they all charge unless you can find an SMS center that allows you to get messages for free. there are several center numbers you can use but they're pretty hard to find, and you need to be in the right area.

 

[DABANSHEE]

Actually there's a website you can log onto & type in a message & send it to any GSM phone on the planet, either by country code & phone number or via the carrier company & phone number.

I've used it but I can't find the link, though I have it somewhere.

 

[ZeroBurn]

well that's sending SMS. sending messages is free, you can use just about any sms carrier. most small companies have their own in fact, like startups that send free logos/ringtones to nokia phones.

on your phone you specify the number of the sms center which you use to receive the messages. that's what you pay for when you sign up for services like PCS Email from Pacbell. they add a little flag to your account that says you have the service, and they give you the sms center number for you to receive your "email".

if you cancel the service or do not sign up for it, you're not allowed to use the sms center, and therefore can't receive your sms messages through your phone. unless of course, you find a free sms center.

 

[beat mania]

Yes, US mobile phone are just as sh!tty as it can get. It's sad, but true.

 

[bigjon]

Most digital networks will send/receive text messages. Currently I am using Suncom (southeast) which only receives email text messages, but is free/unlimited (my homepage allows you to type a message and it will go to my phone instantly - well, a second or two). My previous carrier (Bellsouth DCS) allows mobile-originate text messaging for $2.95/mo.

 

[ZeroBurn]

the US doesn't get crap for phones. the uk and japan get all the goodies first, and then the slimmed down phones trickle down to us. yep we pretty much get shafted

bigjon - yep, i think pacbell is like $5.95 /mo. for 500 messages or so, and a nickel or something after 500 msgs. the first 6 months are free though so it's not that bad. their system is horrible though, their maintence sucks. i signed up for the free 6 mo. at the beginning of my plan, and i'm hitting the 1 yr. mark and still haven't been charged for it - they must not have removed the pcs email flag from my account =P i'm not complaining

 

[beer]

The proliferation of phones throughout Europe is due to the fact that ground lines are so much more expensive and limited than they are in the US. For about $20/month in any metropolitan area in the US, you can get a phone line with free unlimtied local calls, and about $.08/min long distance, 24/7. Broadband, i.e. 768/128 DSL, is readily available in most metropolitan areas and suburbs for around $40/month, all costs included.

A lot of people I know over in Europe use their cell phones as their primary phones. That just isn't the case in the US. While I do admit that our mobile phone network is rather primative, the European and esp. English telecom companies are so rediculous in pricing and availability that a cell phone is more reliable, and cheaper. That is not the case in the US.

 

[beat mania]

Well if the damn cell phones are better I wouldn't need a primiary phone line at home too ...

 

[The Stigenator]

the US has been behind the world in text messaging. The world uses GSM here in the US we have 4 competeing brands for service, CDMA, PCS, GSM and something else.

The funny thing is I had friends in Germany who had text messaging back in 1993 whereas I got it only in early febuarry 1999. That too from Sprint. Sprint had it first in teh US but they only had it in NY.

 

[Czar]

In iceland we have had SMS ever since the first phones that supported SMS came on the market.

 

[beer]

I'm not saying that the proliferation of cell phones is because they are so much better, that would be an incorrect relationship.

BECAUSE the ground lines are so much more expensive; because the telecom companies are monopolistic; because reliability isn't as good as it is here...

THEN there is a greater market demand for cell phones. The greater demand causes a much quicker rollout of new products.

Because we in the US do not experience problems with the cause stated above, the effect never happens.