Since January 2003, Belgacom customers have been able to send and receive SMS messages with fixed-line telephones. Until now, they needed an SMS-compatible telephone to send them. Belgacom's introduction of Web-to-fixed SMS transmission now offers a new possibility to send SMS messages: customers with an Internet connection can also send SMS messages to fixed-line telephones using the Web. Thanks to text-to-speech technology, SMS messages can be received on all types of telephones.
In the initial phase, customers may send two Web-to-fixed SMS messages per day free of charge.
The application is available at Belgacom.be. Users do not have to enter their ID or login passwords.
Since January 2003, the number of SMS messages sent from fixed lines has tripled. More than 80% of SMS messages sent from fixed-line telephones are addressed to GSMs. The remaining 20% are sent to fixed-line telephones and converted into voice messages, or received in text form on SMS-compatible telephones. The number of SMS messages sent from GSMs to fixed-line telephones has almost doubled since January 2003.
Until 1 January 2004, SMS messages may be sent from fixed-line telephones to other fixed-line telephones free of charge (max. 500 SMS messages/month)!
