I use CardboardFish SMS all the time! (Cbfsms.com)

Member Name: Stephoohla

Product:	Cbfsms.com
Date:	11/11/09 (184 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Completely free, great if you've run out of credit

Disadvantages: May not be 100% reliable, you can only send short messages

I recently read a review on Dooyoo totally slating this site. Whilst they had written it well and gave a great idea of the website from their perspective, I felt that some parts of this site were overlooked and completely underrated, so I felt compelled to write a review myself giving a more positive perspective.

I first discovered this site by a friends' recommendation when I was complaining I was out of phone credit yet again (a common occurance). When I heard I could send texts for free, I thought it was too good to be true, so I checked the site out. I first looked it up when I was about 13, which was 7 years ago.. so it's been around for quite a time! A bit point is it hasn't changed much either in those 7 years, so familiar users aren't constantly having to re-learn how to use the site.

On first glance, it looked a bit complicated. There were quite a few adverts dominating the main page, with loud colours and lots of text, including flashing logos, too. Along the top is the site's logo, just saying CBFSMS.com (stands for Cardboard Fish SMS if anyone is wondering!), and underneath (overlooking the adverts of course) is a line of options, including 'Send Message', 'Confirmation', 'Replies', 'FAQ', 'System Status', 'Abuse' and 'Contact Us'...all the general pages you'd find on a website.

The gist of the website is that you can send text messages for free to any UK network, or if you click on their linked website Fish Text, you can send texts internationally from 1p. It's a great concept, and I was keen to check it out.

When you type CBFSMS.com into a URL bar/search engine, you are brought immediately to the Send Message page. As I said before, this consists of the logo, links, adverts, and if you scroll a little further down the page there is are some message boxes. The top box you are probed to insert the number you wish to send a text to, and in the bigger box below you type your text. You are limited to 137 characters per text, which isn't a lot, given the fact that in each text you have to say who it's from as the text is sent from a random number, not your own (obviously if you sent a text from your own number you don't really have to write who it's from). Once you've written out your short but sweet message, you need to click the 'Send' button below.

This will then load a new page, where you'll have to click a few options. You are asked:
*Would you like delivery confirmation for your message?
*Would you like to receive replies to your message?
*I agree NOT to use any popup or banner blocking software whilst using the CBFSMS service.

You do not need to tick the top two boxes, but you do need to click the one saying you agree not to use that software whilst using CBF, otherwise your message will not send.

You are then taken to another page where you need to type in a PIN verification. A picture shows with four numbers in and you simply have to repeat those numbers in the box below. I think this is a security check to make sure people are not abusing the free message service.

Once you've clicked okay, you are then transported to a final page, where you are told your message has sent, hurrah!

It sounds pretty complicated, but is actually really easy.

It's simple to send your first message, however after that you generally have to leave ten minutes inbetween each message. I'm not 100% sure why, but I think one of the reasons is that they encourage you to get your message recipients to reply to CBF (maybe the company makes money out of this), and when someone does reply to you via the website, you are guaranteed another message, without the 10 minute wait. Obviously this is really convenient, but all depends on whether your recipient will reply to the site or your own number.

Just for research's sake, I sent myself a message using CBF earlier. Nothing exciting, just "Hi there". I typed in my phone number and pressed send, and after the following couple of pages of ticking boxes and filling in the verification code, it arrived at the 'message sent' page'. Immediately, without hesitation, and much to my surprise, my phone went off straight away! I used to think that the messages were delayed when you sent them, but here was proof that it sends straightaway!

The message I sent was "Hi there." The message I received on my mobile phone said "Hi there. Txt back. cbfsms.com". So it does automatically put 'Txt back' and their website afterwards, a) so the receiver knows where the message came from, and b) as a marketing technique so the receiver is aware of the site.

The other pages to this site are 'Confirmation', where you can enter your text confirmation code (you are given this after each text) to check all your messages have sent or are pending. The 'Replies' page shows any replies you've had to your text, again you need to type in the code you've been given to read these. The 'FAQ' is very handy, as it lists loads of questions that you might want to know about the website. If your question is not listed, you can click on the 'Contact Us' page to email them. I haven't yet had to contact them about anything so unfortunately am unable to let you know how long it takes them to reply.

The 'System Status' page is great, as it shows you that the site is running probably so that there shouldn't be any delays in sending texts. There is also an 'Abuse' page, where you can type in your phone number to stop receiving "abuse" through CBF. I've never received abuse so have never had to use this, and it seems fairly uncommon, but I guess is just a precautionary measure just in case it happens.

As I previously mentioned, I'd read a review that really downplayed this site. They talked about how the messages rarely got to their receivers. Whilst I don't actually know if this is true or not (some more texting research might help here!), even if it is the case that half of the time the messages do not send, I feel like there is not very much room to complain considering the site is completely free! Okay, it might be a tad annoying if you find out that a message you sent did not arrive at its destination, but for something that is free you can't really expect it to be 100% reliable. This site is there as a way of saving your credit or for sending a text should you run out of credit. If it is an emergency, then you'd be more likely to call the person by borrowing someone else's phone anyway, it is unlikely you'd use this service to send an emergency text, especially considering how little words you can fit in.

So yes, a downside, possibly the service isn't completely reliable, but it's to use for fun, not to relay important information to friends and family.

Another downpoint as I've already mentioned is that generally you have to wait 10 minutes in between each text before you can send them. But, if you request replies from your friends to CBF, then you get guaranteed texts to reply with straightaway.

The site does offer a VIP status, which means you can send unlimited texts, and also texts which are more than 137 characters. It also means you don't have the 10 minute wait between your messages! However, there is no real perk to this as you might aswell just top up your phone instead of paying to use this site!

After you get to grips with the website (takes merely minutes) it is easy to use, convenient and fantastic if you've run out of credit.

There are a couple of other free online texting sites about, but I think Cardboard Fish is the most reliable and convenient of them all. I'm with O2 and you can send 10 free texts with them once a month, and this service is almost 100% reliable as far as I can see, but you can only send 10 every now and again. Other sites which allow you this service are Moco Unlimited, TextYourBuddy, Text4Free, OnlineTextMessage... the list goes on...

I have tried most of them at one point or another just out of curiousity! But most of them try to charge you after a certain period of time (beware!) and the other ones have complex systems of signing up. Once you have signed up, I've found out through personal experience that the reliability rate is about 50%... really awful. So I recommend sticking to CBF, even if it takes ten minutes between each text message, at least it's reliable most of the time :)

P.S. After reading a comment, I've realised I haven't mentioned about how much it costs for the receiver to reply. It is actually standard rate of your mobile phone, which is great as it means they won't be paying anymore than usual.

Summary: Overall a great concept for a website