FREE-SMS-ALERTS

160By2 Launches Free SMS To Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia & Singapore

ways2invest@gmail.com (Ways2live) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 09:51:00 +0000

Hyderabad based SMSCountry, which operates the free SMS service 160by2, has launched free SMS services to Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia & Singapore. This means that registered users can send an SMS to mobile numbers in these countries, without paying the standard International SMS charges. Satya Kalyan Yerramsetti, CEO and Co-founder of SMSCountry has said that the company plans to launch services in other South East Asian markets as well.

By aggregating free SMS services in various countries on an Internet platform, this free SMS service is disrupting the existing format in which International SMS' are sent. 160by2 has a mobile application as well, which uses both SMS and GPRS to send free SMS'. For Pre-paid users in Kerala, Airtel charges Rs. 3 for an international SMS to the Gulf region, while BSNL charges Rs. 5 for all International SMS'.

A Precedence in Internet Telephony

A precedence exists in case of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP/Internet Telephony), wherein one can make calls to International telephone numbers using services like Skype, at a lower cost. In India, VoIP is not allowed to terminate in a PSTN (Landline or Mobile) network, though the telecom regulator TRAI is pushing that agenda.

Competition & Costs

SMS costs in International markets are higher (we're assuming that Bulk SMS costs are higher too), so will any one be willing to take on the costs? Other service providers can follow suit, but garnering a user base is quite another task: 160by2 claims to have 4 million registered users (India has over 400 million mobile subscribers), and monetizes with advertisements using 80 characters of each SMS sent. Based on their website, they have a campaign running for Sprite, and also offer mobile classifieds services (though mobile SMS based classifieds are free).

Readers will remember that Indiatimes used to offer free SMS services earlier, though MocoLife, which was launched last year, offered 30 free SMS' a month. NEA Indo-US and DFJ funded startup MGinger also has launched Free SMS services.

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Rosmah Suggests Telcos Provide Free SMS For Donations

ways2invest@gmail.com (Ways2live) — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:45:00 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- The prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, today suggested that telecommunication companies (telcos) prowide free SMS access for people to pledge donations to Yayasan Pembangunan Anak-anak Yatim dan Miskin (Pemangkin), a development foundation for orphans and poor children.

She said the willingness of the telcos to do that would be their contribution to corporate social responsibility in helping the needy.

Rosmah said the donations would be channelled through the Skim Sumbangan Amal Jariah untuk Pembangunan Anak-anak Yatim dan Muskin to help the target groups.

"The Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM) will discuss with the telco operators on the matter and I hope the outcome is that each SMS sent to Pemangkin to the number 32728 will not be charged.

"We know that a fee is charged on each SMS sent but for this purpose (charity), we hope it will be free of charge," she told reporters after the launching of Pemangkin, here, today.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Maj-Gen (Rtd) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom and Deputy Minister Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim.

On Pemangkin, Rosmah said it was a noble effort to help children in need of financial assistance for education and to live in comfort like those who still had parents.

"Indeed this effort also serves to enhance YaPEIM's standing as a charitable and socio-economic development institution founded by the government to improve the people's well-being," she said.

Pemangkin is now focusing on the Skim Anugerah Kecemerlangan Pelajar Miskin dan Anak Yatim Nasional (Santun), an award scheme for excellence for poor and orphaned children, and Program Pembangunan Anak Yatim dan Miskin Mangsa Tsunami di Acheh, which is a development programme for poor and orphaned children of the tsunami victims in Acheh.

Rosmah said Santun offered, among others, financial assistance for up to six years, and motivational, voluntary and apprentice programmes.

So far, 491 poor children and orphans nationwide, including 256 selected students participated in the Santun programme, while more than 1,000 orphans in Acheh benefited from the other programme, which also covered education and entrepreneurship.

-- BERNAMA

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T-Mobile introduces prepaid promotion for youth, offers free SMS (Germany)

ways2invest@gmail.com (Ways2live) — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:16:00 +0000

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: T-Mobile, the German mobile operator, has introduced a promotion for German youngster less than 27 year old. Under the promotion, the subscribers are offered free SMS package. High school pupils and students can order a T-Mobile Xtra Card before 31 July'09 and receive a SMS package including 3,000 SMS within Germany, which can be send during the first three months after activation of the prepaid package. Calls made to other German networks will cost EUR 0.05 per minute and after the first three months, sending SMSs within Germany will cost EUR 0.05 per message.

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You have been receiving SMS codes: TA-ICICI, AX-Airtel…and wondering what’s it?

ways2invest@gmail.com (Ways2live) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:08:00 +0000

Recently, from almost a month SMSs from Banks, Service Providers, Companies have started prefixing something like ID, AT, VK…etc. What's all this after all!!? Here I am to explain you what it is! Normally these SMSs originates from a Bulk SMS provider where you can use 11 digit Alpha-Numeric characters as "Sender". But there were some security risks in this method. I was able to give a phone number as "Sender" & it appears as that person at the recipient end. Basically there was a chance to send SMSs as a different person! I was actually using this to fool my friends.

But the new TRAI regulation insisted bulk SMS providers to restrict the "Sender ID" to 8 characters. Other three characters should be used to specify who is the service provider & where it's originated from. Say for example: HDFCBANK sends an SMS to you using bulk SMS provider located at Tamil Nadu which uses Airtel. You will receive it as AT-HDFCBANK. First character specifies which service provider the message is being originated & the second character specifies from which location it's originated. Here is the table which has details of these SMS codes:

Service Provider Codes:

Service Provider	Code
Aircel, Dishnet Wireless	D
Bharti Airtel	A
BSNL	B
BPL Mobile/Loop Telecom	L
Datacom Solutions	C
HFCL Infotel	H
Idea Cellular	I
MTNL	M
Reliance Communications	R
Reliance Telecom	E
S tel	S
Shyam Telecom	Y
Spice Telecom	P
Swan Telecom	W
Tata Teleservices	T
Unitech Group	U
Vodafone Group	V

Service Area	Code
Andhra Pradesh	A
Assam	S
Bihar	B
Delhi	D
Gujarat	G
Haryana	H
Himachal Pradesh	I
Jammu & Kashmir	J
Karnataka	X
Kerala	L
Kolkata	K
Madhya Pradesh	Y
Maharashtra	Z
Mumbai	M
North East	N
Orissa	O
Punjab	P
Rajasthan	R
Tamil Nadu	T
UP-East	E
UP-West	W
West Bengal	V

So, combination of these two constitutes the first two digit of "Sender" followed by an hyphen (-) & actual sender name.

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Free E-mail to SMS gateways where you can send text messages for free via e-mail

ways2invest@gmail.com (Ways2live) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:01:00 +0000

Quite a few cell service companies provide free e-mail to SMS gateways where you can send text messages for free via e-mail. You can send a SMS via email to your friends even your friend who doesn't have internet access. For sending Email on your friends number there are two things you need for sending an email to your friend's cell phone, his mobile number and the carrier.

Most of mobile carriers offer free Email to SMS gateways which can be used to forward simple text emails to mobile phones. The interesting part is that most of the gateways are free and available to the general public.

Below is the complete list of Email to SMS Gateways. Using the list below simply replace the xxxxxxxxx in each entry with your own mobile number. Send an email to this address and a message will be sent automatically to your mobile device.

United States

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
3 River Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@sms.3rivers.net
Advantage Communications	xxxxxxxxx@advantagepaging.com
AirVoice	xxxxxxxxx@mmode.com
Airtouch Pagers	xxxxxxxxx@airtouch.net
Airtouch Pagers	xxxxxxxxx@airtouchpaging.com
Airtouch Pagers	xxxxxxxxx@alphapage.airtouch.com
Airtouch Pagers	xxxxxxxxx@myairmail.com
AllTel	xxxxxxxxx@message.alltel.com
Alltel PCS	xxxxxxxxx@message.alltel.com
Alltel	xxxxxxxxx@alltelmessage.com
Ameritech Paging	xxxxxxxxx@pageapi.com
Arch Pagers (PageNet)	xxxxxxxxx@archwireless.net
Arch Pagers (PageNet)	xxxxxxxxx@epage.arch.com
Bell South (Blackberry)	xxxxxxxxx@bellsouthtips.com
Bell South Mobility	xxxxxxxxx@blsdcs.net
Bell South	xxxxxxxxx@blsdcs.net
Bell South	xxxxxxxxx@sms.bellsouth.com
Bell South	xxxxxxxxx@wireless.bellsouth.com
Bluegrass Cellular	xxxxxxxxx@sms.bluecell.com
Boost Mobile	xxxxxxxxx@myboostmobile.com
Boost	xxxxxxxxx@myboostmobile.com
CallPlus	xxxxxxxxx@mmode.com
Carolina Mobile Communications	xxxxxxxxx@cmcpaging.com
Cellular One East Coast	xxxxxxxxx@phone.cellone.net
Cellular One PCS	xxxxxxxxx@paging.cellone-sf.com
Cellular One South West	xxxxxxxxx@swmsg.com
Cellular One West	xxxxxxxxx@mycellone.com
Cellular One	xxxxxxxxx@message.cellone-sf.com
Cellular One	xxxxxxxxx@mobile.celloneusa.com
Cellular One	xxxxxxxxx@sbcemail.com
Cellular South	xxxxxxxxx@csouth1.com
Central Vermont Communications	xxxxxxxxx@cvcpaging.com
CenturyTel	xxxxxxxxx@messaging.centurytel.net
Cingular	xxxxxxxxx@cingularme.com
Cingular (TDMA)	xxxxxxxxx@mmode.com
Cingular Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@mobile.mycingular.net
Cingular	xxxxxxxxx@cingularme.com
Communication Specialists	xxxxxxx@pageme.comspeco.net
Cook Paging	xxxxxxxxx@cookmail.com
Corr Wireless Communications	xxxxxxxxx@corrwireless.net
Dobson Communications Corporation	xxxxxxxxx@mobile.dobson.net
Dobson-Alex Wireless / Dobson-Cellular One	xxxxxxxxx@mobile.cellularone.com
Edge Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@sms.edgewireless.com
GCS Paging	xxxxxxxxx@webpager.us
GTE	xxxxxxxxx@gte.pagegate.net
GTE	xxxxxxxxx@messagealert.com
Galaxy Corporation	xxxxxxxxx@sendabeep.net
GrayLink / Porta-Phone	xxxxxxxxx@epage.porta-phone.com
Houston Cellular	xxxxxxxxx@text.houstoncellular.net
Inland Cellular Telephone	xxxxxxxxx@inlandlink.com
JSM Tele-Page	xxxxxxxxx@jsmtel.com
Lauttamus Communication	xxxxxxxxx@e-page.net
MCI Phone	xxxxxxxxx@mci.com
MCI	xxxxxxxxx@pagemci.com
Metro PCS	xxxxxxxxx@metropcs.sms.us
Metro PCS	xxxxxxxxx@mymetropcs.com
MetroPCS	xxxxxxxxx@mymetropcs.com
Metrocall 2-way	xxxxxxxxx@my2way.com
Metrocall	xxxxxxxxx@page.metrocall.com
Midwest Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@clearlydigital.com
Mobilecom PA	xxxxxxxxx@page.mobilcom.net
Mobilfone	xxxxxxxxx@page.mobilfone.com
Morris Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@beepone.net
NPI Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@npiwireless.com
Nextel	xxxxxxxxx@messaging.nextel.com
Nextel	xxxxxxxxx@page.nextel.com
Ntelos	xxxxxxxxx@pcs.ntelos.com
Omnipoint	xxxxxxxxx@omnipoint.com
Omnipoint	xxxxxxxxx@omnipointpcs.com
OnlineBeep	xxxxxxxxx@onlinebeep.net
PCS One	xxxxxxxxx@pcsone.net
Pacific Bell	xxxxxxxxx@pacbellpcs.net
PageMart	xxxxxxxxx@pagemart.net
PageOne NorthWest	xxxxxxxxx@page1nw.com
Pioneer / Enid Cellular	xxxxxxxxx@msg.pioneerenidcellular.com
Price Communications	xxxxxxxxx@mobilecell1se.com
ProPage	xxxxxxxxx@page.propage.net
Public Service Cellular	xxxxxxxxx@sms.pscel.com
Qualcomm	name@pager.qualcomm.com
Qwest	xxxxxxxxx@qwestmp.com
RAM Page	xxxxxxxxx@ram-page.com
ST Paging	pin@page.stpaging.com
Safaricom	xxxxxxxxx@safaricomsms.com
Satelindo GSM	xxxxxxxxx@satelindogsm.com
Satellink	xxxxxxxxx.pageme@satellink.net
Simple Freedom	xxxxxxxxx@text.simplefreedom.net
Skytel Pagers	xxxxxxxxx@email.skytel.com
Skytel Pagers	xxxxxxxxx@skytel.com
Smart Telecom	xxxxxxxxx@mysmart.mymobile.ph
Southern LINC	xxxxxxxxx@page.southernlinc.com
Southwestern Bell	xxxxxxxxx@email.swbw.com
Sprint PCS	xxxxxxxxx@messaging.sprintpcs.com
Sprint	xxxxxxxxx@sprintpaging.com
SunCom	xxxxxxxxx@tms.suncom.com
Surewest Communications	xxxxxxxxx@mobile.surewest.com
T-Mobile	xxxxxxxxx@tmomail.net
TIM	xxxxxxxxx@timnet.com
TSR Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@alphame.com
TSR Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@beep.com
Teletouch	xxxxxxxxx@pageme.teletouch.com
Telus	xxxxxxxxx@msg.telus.com
The Indiana Paging Co	xxxx@pager.tdspager.com
Triton	xxxxxxxxx@tms.suncom.com
US Cellular	xxxxxxxxx@email.uscc.net
USA Mobility	xxxxxxxxx@mobilecomm.net
Unicel	xxxxxxxxx@utext.com
Verizon PCS	xxxxxxxxx@myvzw.com
Verizon Pagers	xxxxxxxxx@myairmail.com
Verizon	xxxxxxxxx@vtext.com
Virgin Mobile	xxxxxxxxx@vmobl.com
Virgin Mobile	xxxxxxxxx@vxtras.com
WebLink Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@pagemart.net
West Central Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@sms.wcc.net
Western Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@cellularonewest.com
Wyndtell	xxxxxxxxx@wyndtell.com

Austria

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
MaxMobil	xxxxxxxxxx@max.mail.at
One Connect	xxxxxxxxx@onemail.at
T-Mobile	xxxxxxxxx@sms.t-mobile.at

Australia

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Blue Sky Frog	xxxxxxxxx@blueskyfrog.com
Optus Mobile	xxxxxxxxx@optusmobile.com.au

Belgium

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Mobistar	xxxxxxxxx@mobistar.be

Bermuda

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Mobility	xxxxxxxxx@ml.bm

Brazil

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Nextel	xxxxxxxxx@nextel.com.br

Canada

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Bell Mobility	xxxxxxxxx@txt.bell.ca
Bell Mobility	xxxxxxxxx@txt.bellmobility.ca
Fido	xxxxxxxxx@fido.ca
Microcell	xxxxxxxxx@fido.ca
Manitoba Telecom Systems	xxxxxxxxx@text.mtsmobility.com
NBTel	xxxxxxxxx@wirefree.informe.ca
PageMart	xxxxxxxxx@pmcl.net
PageNet	xxxxxxxxx@pagegate.pagenet.ca
Rogers	xxxxxxxxx@pcs.rogers.com
Telus	xxxxxxxxx@msg.telus.com

Chile

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Bell South	xxxxxxxxx@bellsouth.cl

Czech Republic

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Eurotel	+ccaaxxxxxxx@sms.eurotel.cz
Oskar	xxxxxxxxx@mujoskar.cz

Denmark

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Sonofon	xxxxxxxx@note.sonofon.dk
Tele Danmark Mobil	xxxxxxxx@sms.tdk.dk
Telia Denmark	xxxxxxxxx@gsm1800.telia.dk

Estonia

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
EMT	xxxxxxxxx@sms.emt.ee

France

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
SFR	xxxxxxxxx@sfr.fr

Germany

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
T-Mobile	+49xxxxxxx@t-d1-sms.de
Mannesmann Mobilefunk	xxxxxxx@d2-message.de
E-Plus	0177xxxxxxx.sms@eplus.de

Hungary

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
PGSM	3620xxxxxxx@sms.pgsm.hu

India

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
BPL mobile	xxxxxxxxx@bplmobile.com
Chennai RPG Cellular	xxxxxxxxx@rpgmail.net
Chennai Skycell / Airtel	xxxxxxxxx@airtelchennai.com
Delhi Aritel	xxxxxxxxx@airtelmail.com
Delhi Hutch	xxxxxxxxx@delhi.hutch.co.in
Idea Cellular	xxxxxxxxx@ideacellular.net
Orange	xxxxxxxxx@orangemail.co.in

Ireland

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Meteor	xxxxxxxxx@sms.mymeteor.ie

Italy

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Telecom Italia Mobile	33xxxxxxxx@posta.tim.it
Vodafone Omnitel	34xxxxxxxx@vizzavi.it
Vodafone	xxxxxxxxx@sms.vodafone.it

Japan

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Vodafone Japan	xxxxxxxxx@c.vodafone.ne.jp
Vodafone Japan	xxxxxxxxx@h.vodafone.ne.jp
Vodafone Japan	xxxxxxxxx@t.vodafone.ne.jp

Latvia

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Kyivstar	xxxxxxxxx@smsmail.lmt.lv
LMT	9xxxxxx@smsmail.lmt.lv
Tele2	xxxxxxxxx@sms.tele2.lv

Lebanon

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Cellis / LibanCell	9613xxxxxx@ens.jinny.com.lb

Luxembourg

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
P&T Luxembourg	xxxxxxxxx@sms.luxgsm.lu

Malaysia

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Celcom	019xxxxxxx@sms.celcom.com.my

The Netherlands

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Dutchtone / Orange-NL	xxxxxxxxx@sms.orange.nl

Norway

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Netcom	xxxxxxxxx@sms.netcom.no
Telenor	xxxxxxxxx@mobilpost.no

Panama

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Cable and Wireless	xxxxxxxxx@cwmovil.com

Poland

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Plus GSM	+4860xxxxxxx@text.plusgsm.pl

Portugal

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Telcel	91xxxxxxx@sms.telecel.pt
Optimus	93xxxxxxx@sms.optimus.pt
TMN	96xxxxxxx@mail.tmn.pt

Russia

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
BeeLine GSM	xxxxxxxxx@sms.beemail.ru
MTS	7xxxxxxxxxx@sms.mts.ru
Personal Communication	sms@pcom.ru (number in subject line)
Primtel	xxxxxxxxx@sms.primtel.ru
SCS-900	xxxxxxxxx@scs-900.ru
Uraltel	xxxxxxxxx@sms.uraltel.ru
Vessotel	xxxxxxxxx@pager.irkutsk.ru

Serbia and Montenegro (Yugoslavia)

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Mobtel Srbija	xxxxxxxxx@mobtel.co.yu

Singapore

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
MiWorld	xxxxxxxxx@m1.com.sg
Mobileone	xxxxxxxxx@m1.com.sg

Slovenia

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Mobitel	xxxxxx@linux.mobitel.si
Si Mobil	xxxxxx@simobil.net

Spain

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Movistar	xxxxxxxxx@correo.movistar.net
Vodafone	xxxxxxxxx@vodafone.es

Sweden

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Comviq GSM	467xxxxxxxx@sms.comviq.se
Europolitan	4670xxxxxxx@europolitan.se

Switzerland

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Sunrise Mobile	xxxxxxxxx@freesurf.ch
Sunrise Mobile	xxxxxxxxx@mysunrise.ch
Swisscom	xxxxxxxxx@bluewin.ch

Tanzania

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Mobitel	xxxxxxxxx@sms.co.tz

Ukraine

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Golden Telecom	xxxxxxxxx@sms.goldentele.com
Kyivstar	xxxxxxxxxx@2sms.kyivstar.net
UMC	xxxxxxxxx@sms.umc.com.ua

United Kingdom

Provider	E-mail to SMS address format
Orange	0973xxxxxx@omail.net
Orange	xxxxxxxxx@orange.net
O2	name@o2.co.uk
O2 (M-mail)	xxxxxxxxx@mmail.co.uk
T-Mobile UK	xxxxxxxxx@t-mobile.uk.net
Vodafone UK	xxxxxxxxx@vodafone.net

Now, free SMS service for your voter's details

ways2invest@gmail.com (Ways2live) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:08:00 +0000

PANAJI: For the first time, voters will be able to avail a free, automated, SMS system from which they can get their part number, constituency

and name on the mobile phone .
Announcing the launch of this system in the north assembly segment on Tuesday, North Goa returning officer K S Singh said, any voter in the north who knows his electoral photo identity card (EPIC) number but does not know the part number, should SMS his EPIC number to 9422415587. The voter in turn will get a SMS with the required details. The SMS service has been launched for the 4,695 poll personnel in north Goa and details of their postings will be sent to them on SMS if they request for it. It will be introduced in the south soon, said Singh.

Meanwhile, 132 critical polling stations in the North have been identified by election authorities. These include 39 vulnerable polling stations. The assembly segment has a total of 679 polling stations.

Singh said critical polling stations are decided on a number of parameters including a high percentage of non-EPIC voters, high percentage of missing voters without family linkages and over 75% polling for a single candidate in the last elections. Vulnerable polling stations on the other hand, are those where voters may face inducements, intimidation and which have the influence of anti-social elements, he said. The classifications are also arrived at after consultations with police and revenue officials, he added.

The constituency-wise break-up of vulnerable polling stations are: Bicholim (6), Tivim (3), Mapusa (7), Siolim (1), Saligao (1), Calangute (3), Porvorim (2), Aldona (2), Taleigao (2), St Cruz (5), St Andre (2), Valpoi (1), Poriem (3) and Priol (1).

Incidentally, the returning officer has received 53 complaints of violations of the model code of conduct. While all "are being investigated" at least one complaint of distribution of money turned out to be a hoax, Singh said. Six flying squads, one for each taluka in north Goa and comprising of the block development officer and police officials are on surveillance to check violations of the code, Singh said.

--
Akbar Jiwani
9867700066
9323500008

Google India's Free SMS Channel

ways2invest@gmail.com (Ways2live) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:01:00 +0000

Bulk messaging, google, group messaging, india, sms, Text Message
tools:

Google Labs in India recenty launched SMS Channels, a new, free SMS messaging service for India only that may prove to be incredibly useful for citizen groups and NGOs. The service allows anyone to set up a group of mobile subscribers to message to, or for a group to message each other many-to-many. A user can receive news alerts and blog updates via SMS, for example; or a group can group-text message to each other.

There are many commercial group messaging solutions in India where the primary means of mobile communiations is SMS. However, unlike GupShup, Zook, and MyToday, Google’s SMS channel is two-way allowing for SMS discussions and also enabling subscribers to publish to the channel.

What does this mean for citizen media and NGO groups in India? A quick look at the many SMS groups already formed, shows that national, local news and citizen media organization have been quick to take advantage of Google's SMS Channel. International news outfits such as Reuters, the BBC, and CNN India maintain news channels, and many Indian newspapers, TV stations, and other news outlets are represented as well.

We have seen other interesting examples elsewhere that would be able to use SMS Channels -- Project Zumbido comes to mind, for example. The Projec, a pilot that ended due to the high costs of sending SMS, connected women with HIV/AIDS through SMS group texting for support and advice. Zumbido was hugely successful in demonstrating the huge potential to improve the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS by simply connecting those affeced, creating community and an instant support network.

We are looking forward to examples of NGOs using SMS Channels in India and will be watching how Google is rolling out this service in other parts of the world.