texting app?

[sprtfan]

I've searched but haven't been able to find the answer. Is there an app I can use for texting? I want to be able to give the number to people (can be different than my cell phone#) that they can send texts to. I don't want them to have to install anything special to do it. I'm on verizion and only send a few texts a month so it wasn't worth while paying the extra $10 to get extras texts. I'm on a plan with my parents though and they always seem to freak out when that get charged extra for the few texts that I do receive/send. Would google voice or skype be able to do this even if I need to pay for it? Would those two options end up costing as much as or close to just paying verizon? Sorry for the noobie questions, just don't know much about cell phones yet. Thanks

 

[radmanvr]

Interesting.... I didn't know Verizon still do limited text messaging. I thought everything was unlimited but you are looking for might be Whatsapp.

 

[sprtfan]

The plan we are on is an old one that is no longer offered. We have a shared pool of mins but have seperate data and text caps. I pay 20 cents per text I think and can get 1000 for $10 or unlimited for an extra $20? I looked at whatsapp but doesn't that require the person sending the text to be using it as well? I was hoping for something that the people sending me a text could send it as they normally do but the number I give them would be different than my cell# and I could receive the text in some different app.

 

[gottago]

Google Voice might work for you if set up correctly and you can send and receive emails on your phone. You can give out your GV # and when you receive a text it can be forwarded to your phone as an email automatically. You reply to that email and it is received as a text message. This would require a Google Voice account, email address and data on your phone. Hope that helps.

 

[sprtfan]

Thanks, I'll look into GV more. I also found another section for Apps and I probably should have posted this there. I was also able to find most of the information I was looking for there as well. I guess I need to learn to scroll down further lol

 

[anon(123856)]

Interesting.... I didn't know Verizon still do limited text messaging. I thought everything was unlimited but you are looking for might be Whatsapp.

I'm paying $5.00 a month for 250 texts. My plan may have been phased out by Verizon as well.

 

[psiu_glen]

I pay $5/250 texts but yeah, it was dropped without warning around Nov 21, 2011. Lowest is the $10/1000 texts plan now.

I use MetroTalk for GV texting, but Google is killing 3rd party call/text clients at the beginning of May.

I would check on Skype's offerings.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Couldn't you use Skype or Whatsapp if you have data plan? Everyone uses one of those.

 

[sprtfan]

The $5/250 txt is no longer around but it would be perfect if it was. From my understanding, Whatsapp requires both users to use it. I'll have a hard time talking them into since most of them have unlimited or 1000 texts. Looks like GV really is not a long term fix either so I'll check out Skype and see if it would be similar since I have more data than I'll ever use. Thanks for all the help