SMS texts are sent in their billions from mobile phones around the world, but many people may not be aware that it is also possible to harness the power of SMS via the internet with online SMS services. The best part about many such services is that they can be completely free to use, so you will not be eating into your credit or your inclusive text allocation. To get a wider view of this industry, we will take a closer look at the technology involved and its potential applications.

Any SMS, whether sent online or from a mobile device, is a great tool for communication between individuals. You can send small messages discretely which the recipient can view and respond to in their own time. When you send them from your own phone your number will be attached to the message, making it easy to reply and in most cases this is true of online services, as you can contact any mobile number on domestic networks and have the online SMS service deliver your number so that the recipient is aware of the source of the message. An SMS sent from the internet is distributed in an almost identical manner to those which are sent from mobiles, with the main difference being that your PC will act as a hub for sending the message and the service provider will then pass it on from its servers to the relevant network operator, where it will be pinged to the mobile base station that is closest to the recipient.

Individuals users will be able to get a lot of use from online SMS services, but they are also useful if you are a business person looking for a great way to market your products, advertise your services and interact with your customers directly. You can issue bulk SMS campaigns online and this is by far the best method of contacting a large group of recipients as performing the same task on a mobile device would be time consuming and potentially expensive. You will typically find that it is cheaper to harness online SMS services for bulk messaging. Some providers will charge a flat rate for each message in a bulk SMS campaign, while others will give you an unlimited number of messages for a subscription fee, so you can pick the package that is best suited to your needs. Business users can access advanced options such as email to SMS services which let you distribute messages to thousands of clients using a single email, making campaign management even easier.

It is worth bearing in mind that there are a large number of online SMS service providers available online and there is often a significant difference between firms in terms of the type of service they offer and the price they charge. Not all individual online SMS providers will give you the opportunity to send messages free of charge and in some cases there may be a charge from the mobile provider for the recipient to bear, so it is worth researching the best mobile phone deals and online SMS options to avoid disappointment.