Sprint PCS SMS to / from Philippines?

I had been recently informed that SprintPCS added SMS (including some
international arrangements) starting in 2004. It apparently requires
the latest phones.

Has anyone successfully SMS'd from SprintPCS to/from the Philippines,
specispecifically Smart and Globe? (without using workarounds such as
Chikka)

If so, are there any international SMS surcharges, similar to those
charged by most other US carriers?

-MVL

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AFAIK, SprintPCS' network in the US is not on GSM. Therefore, their
system is not compatible to any of the GSM providers in PI, like, Globe
and Smart. In short, they coundn't be roaming partner with any of the
PI providers.

But... I remember that about a couple of years ago, the association of
all PCS providers in North America has opened the door to cross-carrier
text messaging service, allowing subscribers to send text messages even
to subscribers of other providers -- GSM, CDMA or TDMA. With that, I
think it's also opened a back door so that CDMA & TDMA PCS subscribers
can send and recieve SMSs to GSM mobile subscribers from outside of
North America -- before, only GSM customers in NA can send & recieve
SMSs to other GSM customers from outside of NA and whose providers are
roaming partners.

SprintPCS website claims that it can send and recieve SMSs to and from
international subscribers. I suggest that you just try it. If it works,
it works. If it doesn't, well, you have chikka. As for the surcharges,
most plans these days include a number of free text messages. But that
might be for local/NA SMSs only. To be sure, call CSR and ask them
yourself. Or, you can try one or two and if it works wait until your
next bill comes and see how much they charge you. I'll be surprise if
one would cost you most than 30 cents -- in Canada, in Fido in
particular, it's 20 Canadian cents for each international SMS sent.

Hth.

[email protected] wrote:

> Has anyone successfully SMS'd from SprintPCS to/from the Philippines,
> specispecifically Smart and Globe? (without using workarounds such as
> Chikka)

If no one answers this, there's an easy way to find out: most corporate
Sprint stores have demo phones on site that are activated, and text
messaging is enabled on them. I would try sending a text message to the
number you want to send to, and if they receive it and respond, then
you'll have your answer.

> If so, are there any international SMS surcharges, similar to those
> charged by most other US carriers?

No such charges are listed. They may have cut a deal with their SMS
intercarrier provider to allow this without much extra charges.

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