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View Full Version : World-Wide SMS


Jason Dunn
10-24-2002, 06:07 PM
Thoughts reader Rob Cornelssen sent us this message, and I thought I'd pass it along - I found it quite interesting. I don't know much about the cellular world, so this was a bit of a revalation to me. Hey, I only got a <a href="http://www.fido.ca">GSM provider</a> about a month ago. :) <br /><br />"I'm in an area that cannot get a good GSM signal, so I cannot SMS to my friends in Europe. I did some digging over the past couple of days and found that Verizon (my provider), VoiceStream and Cingular among US providers use InphoMatch as their primary SMS carrier and interoperability provider. In doing some sleuthing within InphoMatch, I was able to confirm that all of the non-GSM providers supported by InphoMatch will be rolling out international messaging capabilities within the next few months, as InphoMatch is interconnecting their domestic platform with the GSM Association's global network. While we won't get GPRS capabilities, at least we now can send and receive SMS messages from around the world. I give you this information because there are many of us out here frustrated by the lack of GSM coverage and the inability to communicate with the rest of the world - at least this will bring us a little closer to reality until GSM providers can increase their coverage."

ppcsurfr
10-24-2002, 06:23 PM
Try looking for SMS gateways that allow you to do your SMS from the desktop PC. It works too.

splintercell
10-24-2002, 06:47 PM
I also live in an area that has poor GSM coverage, have had Verizon for a year and a half, and have been exchanging SMS messages with my friends and family in Europe and Asia (on GSM networks) for most of that time. Not much to it, really.

And personally, I don't want GPRS capabilities - I like my 1xRTT much better. :D

Certified Optimist
10-25-2002, 04:40 AM
You should try sending SMS in Hong Kong...

About one year ago you could receive SMS from people from anywhere in the world, but... you could only send SMS to people using the same mobile network as you in Hong Kong... *duh* (i.e. no international SMS). Since there are about 3+ networks in HK not too many people were using SMS...

This year they changed this... so people can now actually send SMS to other networks... but still only in Hong Kong. For some "strange" reason this now means everyone is using SMS.

Still not able to send international ones though... only receive them...