A generally easy way to communicate, though you do have to be in range! (SMS Messaging in General)

Member Name: CokaCola

Product:	SMS Messaging in General
Date:	04/02/09 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, Easy, Fast

Disadvantages: Not instant, No alert if the other person's phone is off.

SMS aka Text Messaging involves writing a message on your mobile/cellular phone and sending it to someone else's phone, often working out much cheaper than a phone call whilst still conveying the relevant information. SMS has become some popular in modern culture that it has even been responsible for the creation of a new language, with words like "rofl" and "ttyl" becoming everyday verbs and nouns. Below I shall discuss the pros and cons of using Texts as a method of communication.

I'll start with a good point. Texts are cheap. Your out and about, you need to tell someone something simple like "I'm going to be there in 10 minutes". It may cost you 40p to convey this on a phone call lasting a couple of minutes, but with a text, you can convey this information for 10p, or even for free. My own personal phone network (orange) gives me 300 free texts everytime I top up my phone by £10 which is a plenty big enough allowance for that month. Conveying simple messages doesn't cost me a penny.

On the other hand, there is no way to know whether the person has recieved the SMS. I could text my girlfriend, but her phone could be switched off - I will not recieve a message saying that the recipients phone is not on, it will simply say "SMS sent". Therefore you are not guaranteed an immediate reply or instantaneous communication.

Texts can also be used to send "junk mail". The usual products advertised are rubbish services like "text the name of your partner to whatever number to find out how likely you are to last" - what a complete con, I mean do people actually use this service? It seems like a complete waste of money to me, because in these instances, the text will cost you a little bit more than 10p.

I think it's good that texts can be sent fairly cheaply worldwide, so even when you are abroad you can affectively communicate, especially if you are somewhere where you will not have access to the internet. On the other hand, you may find yourself in a mobile phone black zone (out of range) and relying exlusively on being able to text is quite dangerous. This is one reason why SMS cannot be trusted, or is not 100% reliable.

Summary: For non urgent communications and short speech, this is definately a good way to go!