Talking Text with Telstra - What's New?
Talking Text with Telstra
01 April 2004
Written by William Shi
Everyone is used to send SMS to other mobiles but ever thought of sending to someone without a mobile? As an Australian first, fixed line at home or work can now receive SMS messages from Telstra Mobile post-paid & pre-paid customers.
SMS messaging has been a very useful tool for mobile users. Now that fixed line users can also take part, it will definitely become widely used. There are many situations which SMS messaging to fixed phone is useful. For instance when you don't want to say something out loud or want to send a message quickly without getting caught up in a conversation. And best of all, it is free for fixed line users to receive and listen to the message. The only charge, at their SMS rate, is on the Telstra mobile user who sends the message
In the message, what you will hear is a computer-generated female voice reading out the message. The voice is natural and clear due to the use of cutting-edge technology.
See Talking Text illustrative diagram, click here!
 After listening to a Talking Text™
message, the fixed phone user can use their touch tone phone's keypad to select from a series of pre-set, text replies:
- Yes
- No
- OK
- Please call me
- I'll call you later
- smiley fact
- sad face
A reply SMS sent from a Telstra fixed phone costs 25 cents.
One advantage the SMS messaging is the messages will not be delivered where a customer has chosen not to receive the service, or between midnight and 8.00am but people can customise the service to have messages delivered 24 hours a day. When a Talking Text message is delivered, the fixed phone rings as usual. The person answering hears a message advising they have an SMS. If they choose to listen, the Talking Text service reads the message. Customers can also opt out this function at anytime. If no-one answers the phone, the message will be saved in a message bank. A reminder will be sent at regular intervals for 7 days and will be deleted after that.
For more information on Talking Text service™ (including how to turn the service on and off), go to www.telstra.com.au/talkingtext/ which includes an online demonstration.
|
