Stand alone SMS program (separate from regular phone # and phone bill?)

[aj1840]

Is there an app to send and receive (in sms both ways)?

All the phone numbers that I text (or texted to me) appear on our family bill. Since there seems to be no way to stop that; I am trying to find a simple sms to sms app..a paid one without ads that is as simple to use as 'regular' texting.
I also assume a paid app will bypass the fear of me being a spammer since they will have all my information.

Thanks so much!

 

[KlaymenDK]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm not at all sure what you want to do. If you have a phone, that's the phone number that your sms'es will be sent from and received to, regardless of which app you use.

There are sms gateways for sending sms'es via a browser; I expect you might be able to use them to send sms'es that you don't want to show up on your bill/call log, but these services tend to be short-lived and limited in respect to where you can send to (typically, no international messages, and of course no receiving either).

I also don't understand what you mean by "a paid app will bypass the fear of me being a spammer" since your sms will look like any old sms to the recipients, regardless of app used to send (caveat: some sms gateways append a signature ad).

Perhaps you need to explain more why you have this need? I'm guessing I've completely misunderstood your post...

 

[aj1840]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm not at all sure what you want to do. If you have a phone, that's the phone number that your sms'es will be sent from and received to, regardless of which app you use.

There are sms gateways for sending sms'es via a browser; I expect you might be able to use them to send sms'es that you don't want to show up on your bill/call log, but these services tend to be short-lived and limited in respect to where you can send to (typically, no international messages, and of course no receiving either).

I also don't understand what you mean by "a paid app will bypass the fear of me being a spammer" since your sms will look like any old sms to the recipients, regardless of app used to send (caveat: some sms gateways append a signature ad).

Perhaps you need to explain more why you have this need? I'm guessing I've completely misunderstood your post...

Thanks- sorry it may not have been so clear because I am not so clear what is out there I have seen those free texting services but they are difficult to use and the texts are returned to your own number (not through a third party) and they try to keep out spammers with various ways.
I am just wondering if there is a service that facilitates texting in and out, I guess compare it to signing up for a new email account, except in this case for texting only. Google had sms on google chat but it doesn't appear on the droid (and may not be in use anymore) but using that form of sms did not use my phone number and did not transmit as an email (although there was that option) but messages could be sent and received through sms on google (was free to which was nice!).

I hope I've done a better job of explaining it, google chat using their sms feature is the closest to what I am hoping to find.

Thanks for taking the time to answer

 

[stareja]

Google had sms on google chat but it doesn't appear on the droid (and may not be in use anymore) but using that form of sms did not use my phone number and did not transmit as an email (although there was that option) but messages could be sent and received through sms on google (was free to which was nice!).

You'll have to get an invite for it, but I believe you can do this with Google Voice.

Google Voice

 

[aj1840]

I've signed up but it won't 'invite' me....any help?

 

[stareja]

I've signed up but it won't 'invite' me....any help?

You'll have to hair for either Google to invite you or find a current member willing to send you an invite. I'd send you one, but Im not a Google voice user.

 

[Renocat]

What about google talk? Other party would need to have google talk as well

 

[stareja]

What about google talk? Other party would need to have google talk as well

Google Talk on Android doesn't support SMS. He could use it to chat over data, but, yes, in that case the other party and all other parties he chatted with would need Google Talk.

The beauty of Google Voice is that it's transparent to everyone else. He can text to/from his GV number while hiding his regular phone number from view. Along with other things like a better voicemail system, the ability to route GV calls to any number he ties to his GV account and more.

 

[aj1840]

Thank you all for answering...I guess I just have to hold on for Google to invite me!

 

[SpamellaDee]

It's been a LONG time since you were seeking an answer, but, in case you're still on the hunt or someone else might be. On Android, the Text Me App is phenomenal. You can send and receive texts and pictures without them showing up on your bill. Must have wifi or data.