2 Way SMS

A new way of communicating that is finally becoming popular in the US is two way SMS (Short Messaging Service). SMS is a service many cell phone companies are now offering. 2 way SMS, also knows as test messaging, is a way to send and receive text messages over your cell phone. While this has been a very popular form of cell phone communication in Europe for years, it has only gained popularity in the US in the last couple (mostly with the young/teenager crowd).

Two-way text messaging has a number of advantages over a traditional phone call. It can:

• be used as an alternative to paging
• serve as a reminder service
• allow you to check news headlines
• allow you to communicate on your own time
• allow you to receive e-mails from specific websites
• allow you to be more discreet in social settings than you are when you pick up the telephone to talk

Cell phones with SMS capabilities will have information about the feature in the manual. Generally you can send and receive messages from any e-mail address or digital phone, you are alerted when you have a message waiting, you can retrieve messages from your inbox, there are no airtime or long distance charges, and you can send or receive messages up to 200 characters long. 2 way messaging generally costs a small monthly fee (around $6) but gives a great deal of versatility in how you communicate.

Two-way text messaging on cell phones has become so commonplace that the airlines are starting to offer SMS services to their clients. Qantas will be allowing customers to use their in-seat telephone handset to send and receive text messages to and from the ground. Other airlines are making similar plans.

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