Telstra adds Twitter SMS

Something that has been available in the US for as long as Twitter has been around has finally come to Australia – for Telstra Mobile customers…

Twitter via SMS

Telstra today announced they are the first in Australia to make Twitter status updates available via SMS.  Telstra will now send Free SMS updates from Twitter to your mobile phone.

Plus, you can send an SMS to update your status, direct message others and some other features – sending updates cost the same as standard SMS messaging.

This follows the launch of Facebook SMS which allows you to receive free SMS notifications when friends update Facebook status, wall posts and other things.

Telstra customers who are Twitter members can activate the new SMS notifications service by sending a blank SMS to 01980 89488 (01980 TWITT). SMS charges apply.

What I find interesting is that Telstra make this available Free, although once you think about it and realise people will use SMS to reply and update status, the increased potential for revenue here far out weighs the cost of providing the free service.

Expect other carriers to follow suit.

Fortunately you can choose which users updates are sent to your phone, otherwise it would be a barrage of SMS messages for those following a hundred or so people!

Let me know if you’ve given this a go.

UPDATE:

Interesting to read the blog piece, and the ‘recommended’ accounts for Australia

@australian (News from The Australian newspaper)
@delta_goodrem (Musician)
@kyleandjackieo (Australia’s #1 radio show)
@DanniiMinogue (Team Minogue judge for The X Factor)
@KevinRuddPM (Prime Minister)