Have you been in a situation where you would like to text message (SMS) someone’s cell phone, but you don’t have your phone handy, you have bad reception, or you don’t have texting in your cell plan? If Windows Live Messenger is available, you can still text a phone.
Your correspondent doesn’t need to have a Live account; they just need a cell phone with a text messaging plan.
There are two ways to create the contact in your Windows Live Messenger: you can create a fresh contact for just this purpose or you can modify an existing person in your Windows Live Contacts.
Option 1: Modify an Existing Live Contact
You can use an existing Live mail-only contact if you have entered that person’s cell phone number. If the person or their cell number is not already in your Live Contacts, use the second method.
Here is the summary of a contact in Windows Live People. We already have a cell phone number (aka Mobile number) in Bubble’s contact information. If you have other information like an address or email address, that’s OK, but the mobile phone is the minimum needed for this option.
Note: This is an example of a phone number in the United States, and it is the only format that worked in my testing. I entered a plus sign, the area code, and then the 7 digit number. I found that spaces, hyphens, and parentheses did not work when texting.
Bubbles may be one of our Live People, but since we don’t instant message with her, she does not show up in Live Messenger. The next steps will allow Messenger to bring her in so that she’s available for SMS text messaging.
1. Log into Windows Live Messenger. Note: This procedure was tested in Version 2009.
2. Click the Add a contact or group button.
3. Choose Add a contact.
4. Because you do not have instant messaging information for this person, you cannot search your contacts. However, if you enter their mobile number here, Live Messenger will find them in your email contacts (Live People) and will bring back their name.
5. No other information is needed. Click the Next button.
6. You’ll see the following message. Click the Close button in the lower right corner.
7. Notice that Messenger used the mobile number to find a matching name in Live People/Contacts.
Option 2: Add a New SMS Text Contact in Live Messenger
In this second scenario you want to text a person’s cell but that person is not an existing contact – anywhere – not in People, not in Mail, not in Messenger. You’re starting from scratch and at this time, you only care about entering their cell number so that you can SMS text message.
The first 6 steps are the same as above. However, the new entry shows as a mobile number with no name.
To change the mobile number to a name:
1. Right-click the mobile number in your list of Messenger contacts
2. Choose Add a nickname or Edit contact. The former changes the displayed number to a nickname whereas the latter lets you apply more thorough contact information.
3. If you chose Add a nickname, the entry is highlighted. Do not delete and do not backspace. Just start typing the name that you want for this person.
Sending the Text Message
Messenger contacts with a cell phone text option have a telephone icon. Please see the illustrations above.
Also, when you point to the new entry (no, you don’t need to click), you’ll have a popup choice that includes Send mobile text (SMS) whereas other entries have only the normal choice, Send an instant message.
You're ready to send a text message to that person's cell from within Windows Live Messenger!
Text messages must be 160 characters or less.
Can I add SMS texting to an existing Live Messenger contact?
Yes. Either add a mobile number or fix the format of an existing mobile number that doesn’t allow texting. You’ll be able to SMS text anyone already in Live Messenger.
1. Right-click a non-SMS contact in Windows Live Messenger.
2. Choose Edit contact.
3. If a Mobile device number exists, you must write it down if you don’t have it memorized.
4. Click the Change number button.
5. Type a US cell number in this format +15185554545 (plus, one, no spaces, no hyphens, no parentheses).
6. Click the Save button. This contact should now have an SMS option.
Additional Information
SMS stands for Short Messaging Service or Short Message Service. It is a way to send brief (160 character or smaller) text messages between devices like cell phones.
Do I need a fancy, expensive smart phone to do text messaging? No, even the basic giveaway phones are often SMS capable.
Courtesy: In the United States there is an additional cost for a cell phone to send or receive a text message. The cost can range from $5 (US) per month for a 250 message limit (sent and received combined) to much larger costs for unlimited messaging.
This means that it would be courteous if you asked the owner of the cell phone if it’s OK to text them. If it’s not in their cell plan, it could turn out to be costly to receive your unexpected messages.
Carriers: According to a Microsoft Corp. web page, “This service is only available with these carries [sic]: Alltel, Cingular, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Verizon.” Ref: http://get.live.com/messenger/mobile I’ve personally tested it with Verizon Mobile and it works great.
~ Brien
