[curvestudent]

So Verizon is going to give me a free 8830 while I travel overseas in Europe for 25 days. I am going to get the unlimited data plan which cost like $70.

My one big problem is the text messages cost me $0.05 to receive and $0.50 to send. I know I can send a email like ##########@vtext.com and it will go to the persons number and emails cost me nothing since it is included in the data plan. Is there any application out there that does this automatically? Like reads a number from my address book, says hey that number is on carrier x network, and then can send an email to ##########@carriexsmstextaddress.com to avoid sms text fees?

Also, I heard that skype is releasing a bb version this month. Will this allow calling just using the data plan, because normal voice calls will cost me $1.00 a min.

[the_elf]

Most carriers will allow you to text their subscribers via a web page like this:

AT&T Text Messaging

Could you just bookmark all of the subscriber online text pages that you would need, and just rely on the data plan by using the phone's browser?

[anon(1423743)]

I believe if you use the PIN numbers on your blackberry, you can send FREE text messages to any other blackberry using the PIN delivery. i used it when my friend was in the middle east. there has been a lot of confusion around the cost of using these phones abroad. when i purchased the 8830 the week it was released they told me that ALL CALLS WERE free in europe, if i purchased the 64 dollar unlimited international plan. well, that is why i paid 550.00 for the phone. then i received my bill. they actually refunded the money, because the salespeople actually didn't know what the rates were! crazy. anyway, the PIN to PIN is great. i love blackberries.

So Verizon is going to give me a free 8830 while I travel overseas in Europe for 25 days. I am going to get the unlimited data plan which cost like $70.

My one big problem is the text messages cost me $0.05 to receive and $0.50 to send. I know I can send a email like ##########@vtext.com and it will go to the persons number and emails cost me nothing since it is included in the data plan. Is there any application out there that does this automatically? Like reads a number from my address book, says hey that number is on carrier x network, and then can send an email to ##########@carriexsmstextaddress.com to avoid sms text fees?

Also, I heard that skype is releasing a bb version this month. Will this allow calling just using the data plan, because normal voice calls will cost me $1.00 a min.

[Louv918]

I was hoping google voice would allow calling over data but you still need a phone plan so if Skype's plan is indeed over data, that would be awesome. I use it now to call my father (retired back to Ecuador were he was born) so I love using it.

[ace587]

Fishtext my friend. Works all the time. Or use google voice

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Xopher]

There isn't a true VOIP app for BB, so all voice communications are going to require minutes. There are ways to send and receive SMS via e-mail.

As far as doing it automatically, just add their phone number as an additional e-mail address and just send it like a normal e-mail - you would just pull their name up from the address book.

I did think of a basic way to do voice (other than sending voice notes via BBM). If you use Palringo, you can send voice messages to other Palringo users (on PC, Mac, iPhone, BB....). It has push-to-talk, kinda like Nextel, but with a slight lag. Not the same as a phone call, but free.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[poiuytrez]

You can use "VoipBuster Blackberry SMS" to SMS using your data plan only.

[Xopher]

Sending and receiving SMS can be done via Google Voice. You can have SMS messages e-mailed to you through GV. You could then either send via Google Voice, or via the e-mail method.