Anything 100% free & good for SMS via apps for Desktop PC & Android too ??

[vtsnaab]

Hi Folks.

My query here remains unanswered=>
I'd like to get pointers on how to use SMS for free to regular cellular users - not requiring anyone to install some special app on their phone just to get messages sent this way.

My main channels of communications are the desktop PC and a non-activated PAYG Android phone via Wifi.

One way to do this via the Android phone is using the TextPlus app (http://www.textplus.com/) - but it is a bit fussy and does not always work.

My best method for using SMS via the desktop PC has been GV via email - which works best when the other person sends me an SMS first to get it on the email conduit; initiating the 1st SMS via GV requires a visit to the site via browser.

It would be grand if there was a really good, matching & reliable desktop PC & Android app for SMS and I will hugely appreciate any pointers towards this.

Thanks.



++++++++++++Originally posted message:+++++++++++++++++
I searched on 'SMS' here and there's 31 pages of results - looks like a great many posts/threads must contain the term 'SMS', Aye ??

In light of the soon-to-be needs of us Obi users for replacing GV, the biggest thing I will miss is the great SMS via email part of it.

My 'main' number is used for this daily and I do all of it via emails with no need of visiting their site.

I see that some of the higher priced providers do offer SMS, but I plan to use Future-Five, CircleNet & Callcentric for all my incoming & outgoing needs.

As a result, when I port my number away from GV I will need some way to get & send SMSs.

If there is a totally separate way to do SMSs, (maybe with some form of number-spoofing ??) that would be great.

I've found some free sms sites before, but they usually dry up & blow away or are very much less than reliable.

Thanks for any recommendations !!

Addendum:
In the past I've used the direct email methods as described here=>
http://20somethingfinance.com/how-to-send-text-messages-sms-via-email-for-free/
But they don't seem very reliable vs. what GV offered and I don't want to keep my 'main' number just forwarding from there forever - I want to port it away eventually...

Excerpt from the artical linked above:

How to Send Text Messages (SMS) Via Email for Free
Last updated by G.E. Miller on January 11, 2014119 Comments

This may not be news for a lot of people, but I just discovered that you can send text messages via email to most major cellular providers. This tip is stellar in that it is part stupid frugal trick (save money on texting from your cell phone by emailing for free), part productivity (you can probably type faster from a normal QWERTY keyboard than a phone), and part tech geek. You get the three-fer on this one! Here's how to do it.
How to Send a Text Message (SMS) Via Email:

To send a text message via email, you must use a SMS to email gateway.
Just substitute a 10-digit cell number for 'number' for each carrier below:

   * AT&T: number@txt.att.net
   * T-Mobile: number@tmomail.net
   * Verizon: number@vtext.com
   * Sprint: number@messaging.sprintpcs.com or number@pm.sprint.com
   * Virgin Mobile: number@vmobl.com
   * Tracfone: number@mmst5.tracfone.com
   * Metro PCS: number@mymetropcs.com
   * Boost Mobile: number@myboostmobile.com
   * Cricket: number@sms.mycricket.com
   * Nextel: number@messaging.nextel.com
   * Alltel: number@message.alltel.com
   * Ptel: number@ptel.com
   * Suncom: number@tms.suncom.com
   * Qwest: number@qwestmp.com
   * U.S. Cellular: number@email.uscc.net

[vtsnaab]

Thanks...:

I'm not porting my GV # out & it's my understanding that texting via GV will still work 5/16.

But=>

...when I port my number away from GV I will need some way to get & send SMSs.

[vtsnaab]

I've edited the OP in light of how things are now and will still very much appreciate any helpful input upon this subject.

Thanks.

[azrobert]

You can use the Hangouts app to send SMS, but I can't get it to work for free. I think it wanted to use my cell number. I don't have a plan on this phone, so it assigned a number. Then the send failed because of a low balance. I don't know if you can use your GV number to send SMS for free with Hangouts. Maybe SteveInWa can chime in.

https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3441321?hl=en


FYI you can use Hangouts to make/receive GV calls. Android has a separate Hangouts Dialer app. I have a bug on my $10 Android 4.4.2 phone. When I place a call the screen goes black and there is no button to hangup. Place you finger on the top corner of the screen and swipe down. All the symbols normally on the top row of the home screen will appear. Swipe down again and an option to hangup will appear.

[vtsnaab]

Thanks Azrobert.
I am still (happily...) using my V2.3.6 phone until I see what the newer one is like - it has yet to arrive.

No plans to use Hangouts a'tall here, really.

What I'm seeking is pointers to stuff that is able to use internet and/or Wifi rather than any cellular signal to reach folks who are on 'normal' cellular phones.

And of course, lacking for paid cellular services myself - the central feature must be that whatever it is has to be free of charges !!

Thanks.

[azrobert]

You can use the Hangouts dialer to make GV calls over WiFi for free. I thought Hangouts can also send SMS over Wifi, but I can't get it to work.

[vtsnaab]

NOooooo Thank You on the hangouts thingies for me !!

'Tis other stuff I seek - preferably NON-google stuff, like I tried to 'splain in what I added to the OP.

Desktop SMS seems to be something of a mystery other than what I described;
Android SMS -minus- a paid cellular carrier seems to have some apps like Whatsapp & TextPlus, but I'd love to hear about any other non-google ways to do this from anyone who is doing it, please ??

Thanks.

[Taoman]

I recently ported an old landline number to voip.ms. It is rarely used and my total cost counting monthly charge, communications charges, and CNAM lookups averages $1.00/month. Great price for what you get along with it.

I have recently been using the voip.ms SMS Message Center. It sends and receives regular text messages (no MMS) currently at no charge. You can receive text messages in the SMS Message Center and/or via email. So far it has worked flawlessly. Sending and receiving texts is almost instantaneous. It's nice typing an SMS on a computer keyboard and viewing an SMS on a computer screen.

Another bonus is that the voip.ms DID gives you a direct SIP URI address. All SIP URI calls (except with Virtual numbers) are free. This allows you to forward a free DID you might have to your voip.ms account directly via SIP URI at no charge and completely bypass (sometimes problematic) iNum. In my view, that capability alone makes having a voip.ms DID worth the price of admission.
Yes, you can do the same thing with a free Callcentric account (I have one). But Callcentric is 3000 miles away from me and latency matters. Voip.ms, on the other hand, has POP/SIP servers geographically dispersed around North America. But I digress...

Bottom line is I like and use the VoIP.ms SMS Message Center and incoming/outgoing texts are currently free although you would need to have a VoIP.ms DID. But again, you can get that for a buck a month.

Con: minimum credit deposit is $25 although they offer refunds if you aren't a happy camper using their service

[vtsnaab]

Hi Taoman and thanks.
I have 2 GV numbers and a couple of free Callcentric DIDs too - but CC does not have any SMS functions - as shown here from their FAQ:

Does Callcentric support SMS?
At this time we do not support SMS. There are multiple reasons for this, the main one being the difficulty in providing uniform support for SMS across all of the carriers that we use. You may check back with us in the future to see if we will be adding SMS support.

When all the furor erupted over the whole GV thing I also got an account with VoIP.ms but did not get a DID with them.

Right now I am not in any shape to be adding any new monthly expenses at all - not even $1/month.

Perhaps there are not any good & totally free ways (other than the hangouts & app) to use SMS that anyone here is using after all ??

[corporate_gadfly]

Perhaps there are not any good & totally free ways to use SMS that anyone here is using after all ??

You discounted the hangouts apps right off the bat.

I don't have a stake in the outcome of your choices, but I can't help it but to mention that since you already have 2 GV numbers, hangouts app with data over WiFi/3G/LTE would seem like the free solution that you are looking for.

[vtsnaab]

I am happy enough to use my GV numbers just as voice numbers if there is another really good way to use SMS outside of them.

The example I provided of TextPlus -is- one such example that works as I wish - when it does work at all.

Checking via the Alternative.to site, there are several which cover some functions - like having an Android app but no PC app, like Talkatone (http://www.talkatone.com/).

Emska (http://code.google.com/p/esmska/) may be a good choice for the PC, but is no longer maintained.

Freesmee seems to have it all (in Italian ?!), but may need a proxy local to it for the download...
(http://www.freesmee.com/)

As can be seen - I have looked around and there ARE quite a few ways to get around this, but sadly most either require all users to have their specific app & account, or, have charges for certain things while others are free.

I'm hoping someone here may recommend an even better & totally free one than those I have already found.

Thanks.

[lhm.]

See this link for free SMS over WiFi in Hangouts with Andriod, "CoolPad" + iOS & WP

http://www.reviewtechnica.com/2014/11/google-hangouts-free-wifi-calls.html

[vtsnaab]

Thanks for the reply.

I read it, and that web page, and I repeat:

NOooooo Thank You on the hangouts thingies for me !!

'Tis other stuff I seek - preferably NON-google stuff, like I tried to 'splain in what I added to the OP.

Desktop SMS seems to be something of a mystery other than what I described;
Android SMS -minus- a paid cellular carrier seems to have some apps like Whatsapp & TextPlus, but I'd love to hear about any other non-google ways to do this from anyone who is doing it, please ??

Thanks.

[mo832]

vtsnaab,

You helped me last year and now I hope I can be of help to you. Please accept the following FWIW, in case it still doesn't get you to your ultimate goal (but I'm optimistic).

1. If you have 2 GV numbers and don't want to use hangouts, can't you just use the GV browser page using the red TEXT button? I send SMS all the time to multiple cell users and it has been great. Only minus is no short codes, but I don't use them much. And MMS is limited and weird.

2. This seems like what you want: www.pinger.com/tfw   . I have used this myself. You can select a free telephone number, but it is only good for text, no voice. It will load a plugin for the session only and you have a text portal window to send to any SMS number. It will also alert your email address if you choose. They also have a phone app which you can integrate, but I only use the desktop web portal. The app lets you use your number for free ad-supported calling too, but I never tried it. If you stick to the desktop, it is just simple SMS send/receive with no frills which is what you want. Also, to keep your number, you will have to send at least one text every 25 days, or they will warn you and then delete your number no questions asked.

Let me know if either one of these meets your needs.

[vtsnaab]

Hi Mo and thanks !!

I do use GV via browser as needed and it works...OK - but it also jacks up Firefox's RAM usage to sky-high levels if it is kept open.

I forgot to mention that I'd tried using Textfree previously - sorry about that oversight.

Their web-based option displays the following for me about 90% of the time:

We're so sorry.
The Textfree servers are unavailable right now.
We're working hard to make them available ASAP.
Try again in a few minutes.

Their desktop app would not open/run on my PC and when I opened a support ticket to ask them, they affirmed that my PC is below its minimum requirements...pooh.

Then after some time they gave my free number away and I gave up on using that service anymore.

SMS from the desktop really needs a good, simple, vanilla solution with minimal requirements, I think.

Thanks for pitching in and Best Wishes !!

[Dranon2]

I use GV texting all the time! From my phone with GV app and from the desktop. It works great. Its ffree, the app is free ( I use iphone) There is also a third party app called GV mobile+ which yopu can use with multiple GV numbers phone and text! I think it actually works better than the GV app and you have the benfit of using mutiple GV numbers if you need!

[vtsnaab]

Thanks for this info:

I use GV texting all the time! From my phone with GV app and from the desktop. It works great. Its ffree, the app is free ( I use iphone) There is also a third party app called GV mobile+ which yopu can use with multiple GV numbers phone and text! I think it actually works better than the GV app and you have the benfit of using mutiple GV numbers if you need!

I must confess that I am a bit confused by the above=>
Are you using some PC/desktop program or your browser for this, please ??

I have absolutely no desire to ever use an iphone or an i-anything, and my desktop usage is all PC-based as well - and so my queries regard only the PC desktop usage and/or Android via Wifi only.

Thanks.

[corporate_gadfly]

I must confess that I am a bit confused by the above=>
Are you using some PC/desktop program or your browser for this, please ??

I have absolutely no desire to ever use an iphone or an i-anything, and my desktop usage is all PC-based as well - and so my queries regard only the PC desktop usage and/or Android via Wifi only.

Thanks.

Let's try one more time.

Disclaimer: These are not my screenshots. I used Google to search for these images. Hopefully they get the point across.

Look Ma! No iPhone. Here's a screenshot of Android using Hangouts to SMS to a regular phone number:



Here is a screenshot of the Chrome Hangouts Extension being used to send SMS on a PC (I use it on Mac OS X instead):


So, to summarize, using Android and Wifi, you are able to use Hangouts app to send SMS. And using, PC/Chrome/Hangouts Extension, you can send SMS.

Problem solved (I think).

[vtsnaab]

Wow.
Methinks I've asked too much with too many words...or sumpin...?

I am hoping after hope for a desktop PC SMS app - not meaning the sort of thing used in win8 - but a real program of some sort that is not a browser, and not browser-based.
If it also has a 'matching' Android app - so much the better, but not imperative.

My list of 'nots':
- I do not use any browser other than Firefox and the GV pages jack up its RAM usage hugely.
- I do not use any Chrome/Chromium/IE based browser, at all so things for those are strictly out for me.
- I prefer not to use Hangouts; and instead prefer to just use GV as it is.
- I have zero interest in anything named with an 'i' in front of it or an Apple symbol on it anymore.

I -do- have a cheap, old version Android phone and an older PC & I am in no hurry to 'upgrade' anything as most newer stuff simply does not suit me at all (Yes - I am an old guy !!).

No matter how many times it may be suggested to use things that I do not have or choose to use...
I will remain without them as I wish to add functionality to what I already have and have chosen to use rather than changing to newer stuff - and I mean no offense by these things - these are just my personal choices.

The mystery to me is that no matter how many substitute-for-SMS & SMS-like apps have appeared for Android - there is almost nothing which enables the independent use of SMS via Desktop PC.
(I have detailed some of what little for this I've been able to find in prior replies here...)

Seems to me that this should be a very populated idea, given how many folks use PCs who also use SMS - but it just is not that way a'tall.

Thanks for the replies & suggestions folks.

[corporate_gadfly]

- I do not use any browser other than Firefox and the GV pages jack up its RAM usage hugely.

Are you perhaps okay with trying out a firefox plugin instead? Maybe it will have better memory usage. I just tried it out and it does indeed send SMS for free using GV.

Interface looks roughly like this: