Is the SMS feature something that I can have working in Australia with our telco's? Or is it something I can arrange through a website service that doesn't need to be in Australai to work?
 
I'd like to hear how people are using SMS, which countries work and dont etc.

Well, here's the thing. I decided that it wasn't useful for me to use an outsourced company for this feature. Was really aggravating for me to charge for something that should pretty much be free for this.
 
Therefore, what I did, was modified my site a little bit. I changed it to where the person typed their cellphone number and their cellphone providor. If entered, it would utilize email to sms which is free.
 
For instance, if their cell was 000-000-0000, and their carrier was sprint, sms would email from my store to: 0000000000@messaging.sprintpcs.com
 
There's not fee for this, and it sends it directly to their cell phone.
 
Why pay for something that should be free?

Email to SMS is free? How so?
 
This is where things get blurred across oceans.
 
I googled and found this company has anyone tried it?
http://www.redoxygen.com/pricing/australia/
 
SmS is the biggest rip off in the telecommunications industry, especially in OZ where we pay around $0.25 per SMS

like I said...
 
email to sms is free. It will send to them, however costs you nothing. Only costs if you're using a gateway.. I created my own customization to do it w/out a gateway

Thanks but where do i start, is it a program I have to buy?

Sounds interesting. Any further info Dan?

Basically, the way to go around purchasing SMS packages is to know how SMS works. Basically, an sms carrier assigns each cell phone a sms address. For example (I'll use sprint), ##########@messaging.sprintpcs.com. What you need to get from the customer on your site is their cellphone number, as well as their carrier. Then, when sending them an sms from your site, you will send it to customer@carrier_special_address.com.
 
This is an easy customization that doesn't require a whole lot of work at all.

Guys,
 
If anyone is interested i am looking at building a sms module, which will be Australia Based, SMS will be done at a cheaper rate than the Telcos, as i work in this industry, Let me know if anyone is interested, as all the messaging will be DONE THROUGH AUSTRALIAN TELCOS, that way no delays or errors should happen, as for free sms it is exactly that, free and unreliable, you pay for what you get, if you dont mind no service and delays in your sms and information being incorrect, then this might work for you, but i need to rely on a service i can trust.. also one that meets the ACMA Law now in Australia, left me know if anyone is interested.. send me and email or PM me.
 
Cheers