SMS short codes have worked for quite a while now.
4Info (44636) and Google (46645) work perfectly on prepaid. I've used them on both the PAYG and per-day plans. Just make sure you have a sufficient balance.
Thanks. That was a peculiar deficiency of the T-Mobile prepaid service, and for me a dealbreaker. I'm not sure if T-Mobile ever publicly disclosed that shortcodes were blocked or allowed, and a number of online services that use them still state that they don't work on T-Mobile prepaid.
You only need to spend $10 per 90 days to maintain service on it, so it could be useful as a backup phone, being aware the coverage area is smaller than Tracfone ($20/90 days), AT&T ($25/90 days) or Verizon ($30/90 days). Links to the coverage maps are in this thread: http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...d-and-Tracfone. I'm not really familiar with the Sprint-based services (Virgin Mobile, Virgin PayLo and Boost Mobile).
Last edited by a5253628; 02-12-2012 at 04:00 PM.
Reason: Added comment about outdated info. on the web, and link to thread that has links to coverage maps.
Yes they work on Tmobile. My wife is on Simple Mobile and they don't work there. And like you its a dealbreaker for her (not the slow speed, which was for me!) so I was going to move her to the regular Tmobile monthly plan at $10 more a month.. but instead switched her to Straight Talk, as despite my best tries she wants the iPhone. Technically now only $5 more a month,but you normally have to pay sales tax.
It will be interesting to be able to compare AT&T vs TMobile speeds directly for me now, though.
If the Straight Talk phone is also activated on T-Mobile, I would think the same short codes that do not work on a TracFone activated on T-Mobile, would also not work. The phone used should not matter, it is in the account activation.
My wife has not told me about any short codes that do not work on Straight Talk (she is on the AT&T side). The phone shouldn't matter here, its the service that accepts or denies it. I don't think she uses 4INFO though.
I have been trying to make a charitable donation from my prepaid balance by sending a keyword to a short code as listed here: http://mobilegiving.org/?page_id=43
No matter which organization I choose I receive a message that says "Keyword not recognized", but no charge is deducted from my balance for sending or receiving a text. I called 611 just a few minutes ago and was told the reason is that you cannot send messages to short codes from a prepaid account.
I have been trying to make a charitable donation from my prepaid balance by sending a keyword to a short code as listed here: http://mobilegiving.org/?page_id=43
No matter which organization I choose I receive a message that says "Keyword not recognized", but no charge is deducted from my balance for sending or receiving a text. I called 611 just a few minutes ago and was told the reason is that you cannot send messages to short codes from a prepaid account.
Something like those particular codes might not work, since they don't know what your balance is, at the time the message is sent.
Have you tried sending the keyword HELP to one of the applicable short codes listed on that page? If you receive a response back, that would be an indication that the code in question just might work.
Received a different message back "Mobile txt donations. You are not associated to any campaigns on 2022..." I still wasn't charged for sending or receiving a message.
I tried out 44636 and that works and I was charged for the messages.
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Originally Posted by cobo
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