Still Paying a High Price for SMS Messages?

Is your company paying for SMS Messages sent between staff members? 

You can avoid these costs by having all personnel use a mobile phone application which provides free messaging. Suitable applications include Skype, Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger and What's App.

These mobile applications themselves are also free. Apart from text messaging they often include support for the free transmission of images and videos. Group messaging may also be a handy facility for some businesses.

Skype's Mobile Product Offerings

The major snag is that all personnel need to have the same application loaded on their mobiles phones. But this is pretty simple to organise. The applications can be downloaded directly on to mobile phones from the websites listed below. You may also wish to get other key business contacts, such as, clients, suppliers and business partners in on the act. Saving you all money.

You do need a "smartphone" to run these applications. Smartphones, such as the iPhone, have the computing power to support third party applications, Internet access and email. Not sure if you have a smartphone? The websites listed below will help you there as well. Some personnel don't have smartphones? It may be time to address that, smartphones are going to become increasingly integrated your business environment, like it or not.

How can messaging be free? Your messages are sent over the phone's Internet connection, instead of via a telecommunications carrier service. This does use up some of the data transmission allowance, but as long as you don't overrun the monthly plan, there is no additional cost. Text messages, for instance, only use infinitesimal amounts of data.

You can download free messaging applications, also known as apps, from the following sites:

Skype -  http://www.skype.com/intl/en/get-skype/on-your-mobile/
Windows Live Messenger - http://explore.live.com/windows-live-messenger-mobile
WhatsApp - http://www.whatsapp.com/

For an additional perspective, see this recent article in the The Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/free-texting-could-spell-doom-for-sms-20111011-1lip1.html

To find other great free services for your business, check out the ebook Free Business Resources.