- What Is Text4Deaf?
- Text4Deaf is a "web text" messaging service
that allows users to send messages from the Web
to any mobile phone in the U.S. or Canada, and
vice versa.
- How Does It Work?
- Text4Deaf uses SMS (short message service) to
direct and redirect text messages sent through
mobile providers.
- How does Text4Deaf differ from other web-based SMS
services?
- Text4Deaf is a web-based service that allows
two-way web texting – from the web to the phone
and back. With other services, recipients can
only reply to the sender's phone or email address
– not ideal for real-time planning or collaboration.
It also offers unique features like Group Messaging,
Scheduled Messaging, Reminders and SMS Forwarding.
- What is the benefit of sending text messages from
the Web?
- Many people are online for several hours during
the day, either for work, personal or educational
purposes. They can take advantage of their time
online by also sending text messages. Using the
full keyboard makes typing easier, and additional
features such as group messaging and scheduled
texts, are key benefits when sending text messages
from the Web on Text4Deaf. As well, the cost to
send and receive unlimited text messages from
the Web is far less expensive than what carriers
charge, especially if the user does not have an
unlimited texting plan.
- Who should use Text4Deaf?
- This site was created to make text messaging
easier to use, more convenient and more accessible
to the deaf community and those with whom they
communicate. The site can be your online commend
center for text messaging. The technology being
used has already been well received by all types
of people – from young professionals stuck behind
a PC all day - to college students working in
the library all night - to parents who want to
reach their kids after school. If you (or your
friends, family or colleagues) get frustrated
with sending text messages from your cell phone’s
smaller keypad – you’re not alone!
- Does the service work with all mobile providers?
- Text4Deaf works with all major U.S. and Canadian
wireless providers, including Cingular/AT& T,
Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile. We
are constantly adding new providers to serve as
wide an audience as possible, so please let us
know if you experience any issues with your wireless
provider.
- How much does it cost to use Text4Deaf?
- This depends on how much web texting you plan
on doing. For the “casual texter”, there is a
Basic service that is free, enabling you to send
ten (10) web texts per month. If that's not enough,
we also offer a Premium service, which provides
unlimited texting, plus Advanced Contact Management
and an archived Conversation History of every
message sent and received through the site. The
Premium service is $2.95 per month or $19.95 for
a full year.
- What about my wireless provider's text messaging
fees?
- Some wireless plans may charge extra fees for
sending and receiving text messages. These fees
are not charged to your mobile number while you
are logged in to the site. However, any messages
sent or received directly through your mobile
phone are subject to your wireless plan's regular
text messaging rates. So for instance, if you
begin a conversation on Text4Deaf and then choose
to log out and enable SMS Forwarding, regular
text messages fees will apply for all messages
going to your phone. Contact your wireless provider
to inquire about additional text messaging fees.
- How do I send a message from Text4Deaf?
- 1. Create an account by choosing a username
and password and entering your mobile phone number.
2. Once you're logged in, type a message into
the message window. 3. Enter the mobile number
of the person receiving your message. 4. Choose
to send the message immediately, or specify a
later time or date. 5. Click "send the message."
- How does Group Messaging work?
- Group Messaging works exactly the same as individual
messaging (see "How do I send a message from Text4Deaf?"),
except instead of entering just one recipient's
mobile number, you can enter up to 10. You can
also assign names to your groups so you don't
have to type in all those numbers every time.
When using Group Messaging, you also have the
option of web texting in Broadcast mode or Chat
mode. In Broadcast mode, when someone in your
group replies to the message, their reply only
comes to you. Chat mode means replies are sent
to everyone else in the group - like hitting "Reply
All" to an email.
- What if I need to log off? Is there a way to redirect
incoming messages to my phone?
- Yes, it's called SMS Forwarding. If you've started
a conversation from the site but need to leave
the computer, click on this feature, and it will
automatically forward all incoming messages to
your mobile phone. You won't miss a word!
- Can I send messages from abroad?
- Yes! Web texts can be sent from any web-enabled
device worldwide to any U.S. or Canadian mobile
phone.
- Does it work with international numbers?
- Currently, web texts can only be sent to U.S.
and Canadian mobile phones, but we're working
hard to expand this to many more countries.
- Can I sign up with an international mobile phone
number?
- Yes. International users can sign up to use
Text4Deaf, but SMS forwarding is not available
to these users. We hope to make all features fully
available to International users very soon.
- How can I get in touch with someone at Text4Deaf?
- To contact us with questions, suggestions, compliments
or complaints, please send an email to info@text4deaf.com.
- What is the privacy policy for Text4Deaf?
- Text4Deaf is committed to protecting the privacy
of our visitor's personally identifiable (should
this say personal?) information. To learn more
click here (goes to privacy policy) to view our
privacy policy.
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