Text app that uses wifi, other party does not need app

[tkco]

I'm interested in an app that allows me to send and receive texts using wifi while I have my phone's phone radio turned off. I want to use my normal (sprint) number. I don't want to require the other party to need the same app.

Why? I will be travelling to a country where Sprint doesn't have an international plan. Thus outgoing texts are $0.50; incoming are $0.15. I plan to turn off the phone radio signal during my time and only use wifi from time to time.

Recap
App for texting using my existing number
App sends and receives texts using wifi internet
App doesn't require the other party to use the app

 

[Rukbat]

Text uses 2G, not wifi, so you'd need a <app>-to-text gateway that would take the message from the app and send it as a text to the other party. They're not free.

You could get the phone's email address of each person you'll be communicating with (something like myphonenumber@myvzw.com) and send them an email. They'll get the message on their phone. They can email you back.

 

[girolez]

Hi

Afaik there Are none. Suggest you ask you friends to get your app of choice - maybe viber?

Sms uses the phone network not Internet

Roger

 

[UncleMike]

This may not be what you want, but I know (at one time?) Sprint offered Google Voice integration with your Sprint number, and I believe it may be possible yo use Google Voice over Wifi and have the the message appear to come from your Sprint number, and receive incoming SMS in Google Voice as well.

Note, I've never used this integration (my time with Sprint was before this was ever available), so this is really just speculation on my part, but it may be worth looking into.

Other than that, I can't think of anything that would work as you want, bidirectionally; it may be possible for some app working over Wifi to send texts as if they were from your number, but I highly doubt that such an app would be able to intercept incoming messages and deliver them to you over Wifi.

 

[03bluecoupe]

The international part is what may thwart this but just for your consideration. You can use Google Voice and port your number to it. I've come to like using the number I picked out as a Google Voice number, but that's just me. On top of GV I installed Messaging + Google Voice and as long as I'm connected via wifi, incoming and outgoing SMS texts are free. (In the USA) I also like the fact that with this setup, I can send and receive texts with my laptop when I'm at home and my cell is turned off.

Don't know if this will help you though with your international requirement.

 

[chadwick108]

Text free works or text plus works well as I have used on my motorola xoom to text when I took off of my mobile plan.

 

[Deleted User]

OP, I really think kids just getting an app that IMs instead of SMS IA really the free-est and easiest way to go, considering you're going overseas (Google Voices is everything you want here, but US only). I'd look at Google Hangouts or Facebook Messenger as they'll work on Wi-Fi. I've heard of apps that use data and create facsimiles of texts over data, but you'll likely have to be assigned a number of their choosing (or possibly pick from a list). It looks like the post before this knee lists a couple. As best I can tell, you're going to have to give on at least one of your requirements.