SMS via web - will it ever die?

I've never been a fan of SMS sending via web. I know many of my friends use them. I don't mind receiving SMS via web. But I'm not the type who would send out SMS via web.

Thus, when I receive a mail like the one below, it always ends up on my trash bin:

Hi,

I have created an account for myself and reserved a free account for you -- to send free text (SMS) messages to mobile phones. Can you please click on the link below to complete your sign-up. Don't worry it is quick. :-).
http://www.sms.ac/registration/Intro.aspx?InviteId=38hlx4b07j00o4qkz16qfoazeh20arfqtmoridaj5u&r=3

If you're already a member of SMS.ac, click here:
http://www.sms.ac/login.asp?referer=addafriend&inviteid=38hlx4b07j00o4qkz16qfoazeh20arfqtmoridaj5u&r=3
Thanks,
*** Nardong Putik ****

That said, I investigated the service just to see what's behind it.

It's much the same as what me and my former colleagues at PIA used back in '99. You get to send messages but there was a limit in the number of messages you could send out in a day. For the service my friend Nardong Putik was inviting me to, you need to invite people to join the service too (thus all the spam).

I recall how these web-to-phone SMS services cropped up one by one in the past years and died a quiet death later on. There was ... what was it, something like "xios" and another something like "redtomato". I remember my friend telling me that the web-to-phone service of redtomato was a secret. Otherwise, when the rest of the Filipino populace hears about it, the Filipino customers might be removed from the service.

Having Filipino customers just wasn't "sustainable" enough! (read: ayaw mag-bayad ng mga Pinoy).

Oh well. I promised myself i'd keep this blog short. So, in conclusion, I personally don't subscribe to web-to-phone SMS services.

• Ma-hassle
  
• I'm not always at a internet connected computer (even when I was always in front of the computer, I didn't use web-to-phone sms)
  
• I don't have the patience to send out emails or wait for credits or invite more friends just to get an additional handful of free SMS to use.
  
• All these invites end up as spam for some people (like me)
  
• Come on, how about more value-added services?! How about "Add to the street-smart-tips knowledge bank via SMS". Or "send a text, feed a kid" or something like that. Sa bagay, meron na ring mga ganyan... making donations via SMS or mobile. (That's another story)

Oh well, that's just me.

For others, it works well. So, if you're that type, try some of these links:

• Chikka.com - the long-timer that stood the test of time
  
• sms.ac - "Send FREE text messages to mobile phones from the web and get FREE ringtones"
  - Ah, the source of a portion of SPAM in my mailbox. Well, it just shows that a lot of my friends are subscribing to the service.
  
• Google search: send SMS online

O, back to work na!

- Edwin
p.s. Nardong Putik, I hope I did you a favor by posting the links as is. Hope other people will click them and earn you some free ringtones or something.