Text Messaging

[Rvrwind]

Got me a little problem...
I have been text messaging my wife but she doesn't seem to be recieving them, even though I get a successfully sent message pop up.
I think from some things I've read I may be dialing wrong, so I thought perhaps someone here may know what I am doing wrong.
I am using this site http://www.send-sms-now.com/index.php?country=Russia&cID=30
& selecting BeeLine, her provider.
I give the phone # as 7903801xxxx. The city code is 4822, but for some reason I don't recall having to include that 5 years ago when I was messaging her, but times change.
So if somebody out there knows what I need to be dialing from Canada, I'd sure appreciate the info.
Thanks

[Simoni]

Quite often sites like "send-sms" do not work to certain carriers.

I'd recommend just using the service from your cell phone.  In the US, international sms cost 25 cents to send.  Not sure from Canada.

But there is a cheaper way.

When Marina was in Ukraine, I was able to send and sms to her cell phone for free.   We exchanged 20,000 sms in the year we dated.  Do the math; that's lots every day :-)  25 to her and 25 replies, or vice versa.

Here's what I used at the email address to hit her cell phone as an sms.  Last four numbers changed for privacy reasons:

80501901234@sms.umc.com.ua

Good luck!

[wxman]

I wish I could get texts messages to Ukraine through my provider. Verizon does not offer that service to Ukraine. I use ipipi.com to send through my mobile phone.

[William3rd]

why would that be? I am on verizon and have always been able to text to thailand- 10 cents each. So, there are country limitations to this stuff?

[wxman]

I wrote them asking why I could not text to Ukraine. They have no agreements with Ukrainian or Russian providers. Go to this link. Ukraine and Russia are both absent from the pulldown menu that has the lists of countries you can text through Verizon.

http://mobileoptions.vzw.com/international/txtmsgcountries/Philippines.html

[Simoni]

So if somebody out there knows what I need to be dialing from Canada, I'd sure appreciate the info.
Thanks

Try my suggestion, but use 7 for country code instead of 8 and put in her provider where I used UMC.

Also, you might PM docetae.  He is from Canada and he and I have talked about sending text messages to Ukraine, which he did to a girl from Dnepr.   That does not mean it will work to Russia, but it does mean he knows how to send from Canada.

Good luck!

[BC]

Have used clickatell.com with good success to many countries.  Rates aren't bad.

[Flyfisheron]

From Canada to Russia: 7916#######

I'm paying 20 cents a message thru Fido.

[ConnerVT]

I give the phone # as 7903801xxxx. The city code is 4822, but for some reason I don't recall having to include that 5 years ago when I was messaging her, but times change.

Try leaving out the 7.  Then, try again leaving out 79038.  Put the phone number you tried in the message, so Valya can tell you what worked, if it does at all.

Because, acording to the web page you linked: Country code and operator/area code are automatically added, if needed. Please, enter ONLY the mobile number of the recipient after them.

[mervin]

why would that be? I am on verizon and have always been able to text to thailand- 10 cents each. So, there are country limitations to this stuff?

I've used Verizon for 10 years. Verizon is not a GSM carrier, so as far as I know you can't send any international text messages with verizon unless you sign up for their specific data plan that offers international texting. Those of us who have their basic nationwide calling plan can't send international text messages. I don't know, maybe things have changed lately, but I know that's the way it used to be. I also know that verizon is about twice as expensive as the competition for a plan that does offer international texting. Verizon's basic data plan with global texting is/was about $80 per month (450 minutes). Is that what you pay William? The same plan can be had for $40 per month with T-mobile or AT&T because all of their phones are based on GSM technology. The only reason I'm mentioning the price difference is because if you do a lot of international text messaging you might consider changing carriers to save yourself money. I'm considering changing when my contract is up next month.

Richard, if you really need a reliable way to send text message you need to use ipipi.com. I use them and they're great! More expensive than I'd like, but at least I know the messages I'm sending are getting through. I think that website is just unreliable because sending text messages is not rocket science and it seems to me you were typing things in correctly. You could try sending her messages directly from the megafon website.
.

[Sendsmsnow]

Hi Rvrwind, please try again, without the "7" - use only the PhoneNumber without country code. Try with and without a zero at the beginning

I have just checked the beemail page - it is temporaly blocked, so that might be the reason for the sms failures.

Best regards,

Carlos Meier
www.Send-SMS-Now.com

[wxman]

I've used Verizon for 10 years. Verizon is not a GSM carrier, so as far as I know you can't send any international text messages with verizon unless you sign up for their specific data plan that offers international texting. Those of us who have their basic nationwide calling plan can't send international text messages. I don't know, maybe things have changed lately, but I know that's the way it used to be. I also know that verizon is about twice as expensive as the competition for a plan that does offer international texting. Verizon's basic data plan with global texting is/was about $80 per month (450 minutes). Is that what you pay William? The same plan can be had for $40 per month with T-mobile or AT&T because all of their phones are based on GSM technology. The only reason I'm mentioning the price difference is because if you do a lot of international text messaging you might consider changing carriers to save yourself money. I'm considering changing when my contract is up next month.

Richard, if you really need a reliable way to send text message you need to use ipipi.com. I use them and they're great! More expensive than I'd like, but at least I know the messages I'm sending are getting through. I think that website is just unreliable because sending text messages is not rocket science and it seems to me you were typing things in correctly. You could try sending her messages directly from the megafon website.
.

Mervin,

Verizon has changed a bit. one can text to about 70 countries using verizon without having to purchase any international plan. They charge $0.25 to send and $0.15 to receive regardless if you have a local text message plan.  It's all kind of muddled as some of the international countries and providers that can be texted are actually GSM providers. The international plans are now really used for actual phone calls with rates still a lot higher to Eastern Europe than calling cards or voip. The last email I got from verizon about a month ago was they had no plans to add text messaging to Ukraine or Russia.  T-mobile and AT&T do allow text mesaging to Ukraine and Russia as they are GSM providers. It really comes down to a compatibilty issue between CDMA and GSM. Oddly one can send text messages to both AT&T and T-mobile from a Verizon phone and vice versa. So it can be done.   

[Rvrwind]

Thanks Guys...
I have sent her several messages this week & will be talking with her on Saturday & I'll see if she got any of them. Tried different ways so I hope I can figure out which one worked if any.
I remember when I was doing this years back that I was using the BeeLine site, in English, but can't seem to find it again. Worked good then.
I'll try some of your suggestions & see what happens.

[Simoni]

If her provider in Tver provides the same service as UMC does, it's the best.  It's FREE for you, and instant.

So try the sms as email approach if you wish to exchange a lot of text messages.

[mervin]

Mervin,

Verizon has changed a bit. one can text to about 70 countries using verizon without having to purchase any international plan. They charge $0.25 to send and $0.15 to receive regardless if you have a local text message plan.  It's all kind of muddled as some of the international countries and providers that can be texted are actually GSM providers. The international plans are now really used for actual phone calls with rates still a lot higher to Eastern Europe than calling cards or voip. The last email I got from verizon about a month ago was they had no plans to add text messaging to Ukraine or Russia.  T-mobile and AT&T do allow text mesaging to Ukraine and Russia as they are GSM providers. It really comes down to a compatibilty issue between CDMA and GSM. Oddly one can send text messages to both AT&T and T-mobile from a Verizon phone and vice versa. So it can be done.   

Interesting! Well it's seems I'm way out of the loop. But I guess it still apprears as though verizon isn't ever going to be a friendly communications provided to the guy who wants to send text messages to the FSU.

[Rvrwind]

Well, some good news anyway...My sister just got her phone bill for last month & there were 5 calls from me to Valya on it. It appears I am only paying $0.15 per minute for calling to Tver. Pretty reasonable I'm thinkin'.
Now if I can sort out the text messaging I'll be in the loop!!! 

[wxman]

If you have a niece or nephew, just give them the phone as they have the text messaging all figured out.   
They will be the ones to make first contact with another planet with all the text messaging they do. It will bring new meaning to the WOVO and WMVM approach. Then all we will need is one of those little Jetson's vehicles to get us there. 

[Donhollio]

Richard there are tweo things you can do. Stop using a SMS provider and use the provider your cell is signed up to. I use Rogers and when i send a SMS to Ukraine it cost's 40 cents plus BST, well in your case just one tax.   You also need to have a + in front of the number  example
               +011 country code  city code than her cell number 
 Without the + it would not work for me. To get the + just hold down the + key and in a second it will pop up.
 Hope it works. You can also phone your cell provider and ask if they have any agreement with her provider.

 Hope it helps

[Donhollio]

So Richard how are things going in Alberta ?   Hope you got the SMS sorted out
I switched this week to Rogers overseas plan, $7 a month and for me to call Ukraine it's 25 c/p/m . Well worth it as I can now dial directly and get a perfect line, cell to cell !
 Anyways hope things are going good for ya, hows the culture shock been ?

[Rvrwind]

So Richard how are things going in Alberta ?

Terrible!!!
I don't sleep well, I don't eat well...without my wife I am a wreck!! :selfharm:

Hope you got the SMS sorted out

Nope..gave up..tried several ways & nothin' worked...I just phone, to heck with it...
Got Rogers too. According to the last bill it was only $0.15 per minute to Tver.

Anyways hope things are going good for ya, hows the culture shock been ?

Thanks for that, but I guess things are going as well as can be expected. The culture shock is way out there, can't believe the changes. Would be a lot better if my Valya was here I'm thinkin'. I think most of my misery is because I miss her so much & the hell of it is its just the beginning!!!  Be a few months yet before she will make it over.
Aww, don't listen to me, I'm just down in the dumps......

[ScottinCrimea]

Richard there are tweo things you can do. Stop using a SMS provider and use the provider your cell is signed up to. I use Rogers and when i send a SMS to Ukraine it cost's 40 cents plus BST, well in your case just one tax.   You also need to have a + in front of the number  example
               +011 country code  city code than her cell number 
 Without the + it would not work for me. To get the + just hold down the + key and in a second it will pop up.
 Hope it works. You can also phone your cell provider and ask if they have any agreement with her provider.

 Hope it helps

Donholio,
     I can't believe you are paying so much for calls to Ukraine.  Even using yahoo messenger I was only paying $.17 a minute.  After much searching and a suggestion from someone on this board I am now using speedypin.com.  There I found an international calling card that only charges $.12 a minute calling from my cell phone here to any cell phone there and the reception is excellent.

[Simoni]

Donholio,
     I can't believe you are paying so much for calls to Ukraine.  Even using yahoo messenger I was only paying $.17 a minute.  After much searching and a suggestion from someone on this board I am now using speedypin.com.  There I found an international calling card that only charges $.12 a minute calling from my cell phone here to any cell phone there and the reception is excellent.

Speedypin is a new and better pathway into the US to Ukraine phone plans.   It behooves us all to keep searching and be willing to change.  I was also paying less than 12 cents per minute with another provider; however, reception was sometimes poor.

http://www.russiacall.com/phone-cards/Ukraine

That's when I would direct dial with my at&t cell international plan.  Perfect reception but 27 cents per minute.   

Speedypin gives you good connection and good price.

But there will be a new champion in the future, so never stop looking.