Topic: Bitcoin Discussion SMS Chatroom / Conference Call (Read 2210 times)

It is pretty awesome.

Texts were costing me $5/mo/phone for 500 messages so I turned them off on my old phone and Android. I never used them except to get the bank balance of the old owner of the phone number sent to me every day, he was poor, probably from buying all those texts. SMS sucks imo.

Yep.  There are some differences between those industries in different countries....  That's for sure.  

No one inside the USA has ever heard of Jabber (except me).     (Only hardcore geeks would even know what it is.)

Meanwhile, EVERYONE uses text messaging (sms).   Everyone knows what it is.   Even people with the oldest NON-smart phones can use text messaging.   (Like, my grandma, for example.)    And pretty much everyone who USES text messaging here... already HAS an unlimited plan.   (for the most part)

Actually, we CAN participate online....  (I do!)   ...using Google Voice.   Google Voice lets you SMS online.... and it's also totally free.     http://google.com/voice

Plus....  even when I am in front of my computer...  I still use my Android mobile phone.   Believe it or not, the Android phone does several things that my desktop computer CANNOT YET DO!

Well, I didn't know that messaging is free in US. Suprisingly enough. We in Russia are charged for every message, about $0.003 per message. Of course, there are unlimited plans but almost every of them has hidden conditions (send 10 sms for regular price and then send as many as you want but not more than 100 per day and so on). Three biggest operators colluded (and everybody knows that, lol) and set high prices to all the services. That's how things go here and that's why I was opposed.

So, if unlimited data transfer is included anyway why not to use jabber for conversations? That way everyone could participate, not only mobile users.

The main benefits are:

(1)  It's mobile.  It works no matter where I am -- on my smartphone.

(2)  It's totally free (assuming you have an unlimited text messaging plan -- which nearly everyone in the US with a smartphone has).   On Android phones, on Verizon, for example,  unlimited texting and unlimited data are not even optional.   They're included -- even in the lowest Android rate plans, as far as I know.   

This means, in effect, it's completely free and completely mobile. 

Anyone in the US who has unlimited texting wanna give it a try?

Also, the voice conference calling is very cool too.  And, unlike jabber, skype,  oovoo, etc., it works on your mobile phone too.  You don't have to be sitting at your computer. 

What's the point of all this mess with phones, sms and charges for every message? It's way more easy to talk in jabber conferences and java jabber clients are well known. It's MUCH cheaper because of low cost of GPRS/EDGE/3G/CDMA (don't know what's used in USA) comparing to sms cost.

Also, everyone can join jabber conference and talk for free using computer. SMS chatroom is accessible only via phone and hence require money without options.

Using a cool new free service called GroupMe, I've just created a new "Bitcoin Discussion SMS Chatroom / Conference Call".

Unfortunately, it currently only works in the US,  but they say they are working on expanding it to other countries as well.  See http://groupme.com/help

So, for any of you within the USA, Puerto Rico, and (maybe?) Canada,  if you'd like to join our live "Chatroom" via SMS,  let me know.   Email me your name (or pseudonym) and your cell phone number.  (Note that it's not anonymous.  Any member can get the list of other members numbers.)

The SMS Chatroom works similar to an IRC Chatroom.   But it's on your phone.  All via SMS.    You can send #mute if you need to turn it off while in a meeting or something, and send #unmute to turn it back on.

Also, anyone who calls the Chatroom's number automatically initiates a voice Conference Call -- which you can join in with, if / when it's convenient.  

Note:  If you have a US telephone number -- like thru Google Voice, Skype In, Vonage, MagicJack, or ant other means --- you can Still participate!    Even if that number doesn't handle SMS, You Can still participate in the Voice Conference Calling capabilities.  

Cool, eh!?    

What will they think of next!?

If You want to join, email me or PM me, your handle or name & your USA / PR / Canada phone number.  

[email protected]
646-580-0022