Cell Phone txt

[Reefer420]

ANyone know how they set up a system so that you can text a message to a name? Like those ads that say Text 'yo mamma' to 'jokes' for today's latest yo mamma joke!

and yes there is a commercial that comes on at 2am every so often that does something similar...how they make money I do not know.

 

[juanvh]

The only company I know of is Clickatell. I've used them for bulk outgoing messages, and from that I can highly recommend them, but they do incoming as well (look for their Two-way services here). You'll need to get a developer though, since they pretty much only give you an API (you get a desktop app for outgoing only).

Aff link here (totally optional but appreciated)

Edit: Clicked "Post" before finishing my post. It's called a premium SMS. It costs the sender a fair amount more than a regular one - the networks takes a cut (also a fair amount more than a normal text). The owner of the number gets a cheque in the mail every month for the balance).

 

[Reefer420]

So a company like this: TextMarks - Help - Make information accessible from any cell phone - via text messages. Coordinate Activities. Express Yourself!

basically pays a network like the one above for the right to use a short service ID like that? Do you think you can do this directly with the carrier or is this a completely custom app?

Is there cheaper alternative? Well I guess you can always have a text sent to a normal cell # and have it be free if it's in-network...

 

[mkrongel]

Refer i will try to help you out. I am not that well versed in ringtones but from what i know here goes.

the number 45454 is whats called a short code, very similar to 900 numbers for telephones. The short code is how the carriers (Verizon, T-mobile, Etc.) know to bill the customer for you. The word is probably how the company manages what youre signing up from, almost like an affiliate code.

You need to apply for a short code with the various carriers. You will need to show the carriers that you are providing value and support to the users as they dont want to deal with your customer service issues, they have their own problems.

You can search around the net for premium text messaging information that can further help you along.

 

[Reefer420]

Thanks guys - didn't know what to search for before. They must be pretty vague on 'value' though since I don't know how much value Your Momma Jokes can give someone...hmmmm.

 

[Enigmabomb]

On a side note, this is pretty expensive to get going. You have to have a plan to have a LOT OF profitable messages going out. Also, all the carriers are different in how they pay etc etc etc. I had the framework for a campaign with this about 7 months ago, but lacked startup capital.

Josh