With Telstra you can now send and receive text messages (SMS) from your compatible home or business phone - similar as you would from a mobile!
To send text messages from your home phone, all you need is a text message (SMS) capable telephone connected to your compatible home phone service landline.
If you do not have a text message capable telephone, you can still receive text messages via our existing "Talking Text" technology.
How to send text messages from a text message (SMS) capable home phone.
Most text message (SMS) capable phones will have an "SMS" or "Text" button that will bring up the text menu. Select "Write Message" or "Send Message", and type your message as you would normally (text messages can be up to 160 characters long). Then enter the number you would like to send the message to and press "OK" or "Send". To send your message to another home or business phone and not a mobile, enter the number (including area code) with no spaces. For example, to send a message to (03) 1234 5678 you would address the text message to 0312345678. Depending on whether the person you are sending the message to has an text message (SMS) capable phone or not, the message will be received as either a text message or a Talking Text, automatically. Please note that every telephone works a little differently and details regarding how to send a text message from the phone are usually found in the telephone's user guide.
Find out more information regarding this new text messaging service via our FAQs. If you already have a text message (SMS) capable telephone you can also refer to the phone's user manual.
How do I receive a text message on my home or business phone?
If you have a text message (SMS) capable telephone the phone will beep, flash or display that you have a new message on the screen - depending on the type of telephone you have. You will then be able to read your message on the screen of your telephone and select to reply with your own message if you wish.
If you do not have a text message (SMS) capable phone, your text message is converted into speech and your phone will ring just like a normal phone call. The message will be read out to the person who answers the phone using Text-to-Speech technology.
After you have listened to the Talking Text message you can then send a reply text message choosing from seven pre-defined responses.
If you're not at home, the Talking Text message will be read to your Telstra MessageBank® , Telstra Home Messages 101™ service or a compatible answering machine. If you do not have a compatible messaging service then we will attempt to deliver the Talking Text message to you at various intervals for the next seven days. Messages that cannot be delivered in seven days will be deleted.
To ensure Talking Text messages are not received at inconvenient hours, messages will not be delivered between midnight and 8am. If you don't mind receiving messages at any time, or you wish to select your own times between which you cannot receive Talking Text messages, you can customise the delivery service whenever you like by dialing 0198 339 999.
Where do I get a text message (SMS) capable telephone?
You are able to buy text message (SMS) capable telephones from most telecommunications or electrical retailers, including your closest Telstra Shop or Telstra Licensed Dealer.
Remember that it's free to receive text messages on your home or business phone and there are no additional rental fees for the service. A 25 cent charge applies for each text message you send (and subject to text message character limit) even if it is not received.
NB: The cost of a text message originating in Australia and sent to an international number is 35 cents (GST inclusive).
For more information on sending and receiving text messages from your home phone, visit our
Frequently Asked Questions or call Telstra on 1800 008 135.
