I found a great article in the latest Economist issue (3/30), unfortunately only available online to subscribers at the URL Texting | Hot to trot | Economist.com. You can read more about it at this URL for free: http://www.w2forum.com/item/hotxt_launching_free_sms_uk. The buzz: a new service called Hotxt is trying to be the Skype of text messaging, taking advantage of Java-enabled phones.
Users download the Hotxt software to their handsets, just as they would a game or a ringtone. They choose a user name, and can then exchange as many messages as they like with other Hotxt users for ?1 ($1.75) per week. The messages are sent as data packets across the internet, rather than being routed through operators' text-messaging infrastructure. As a result, users pay only a tiny data-transport charge, typically of a penny or so per message. Since text messages typically cost 10p, this is a big saving—particularly for the cost-conscious teenagers at whom the service is aimed.
Another way to reduce the cost of messaging for use in clinical care and research. Very nice!
Comments