Does anyone know what has happened to the MTNSMS site?

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pixies

4 posts

Wannabe Geek
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#1352 11-Apr-2004 19:57

Hi there!

Since Sunday, 4.4.2004, the excellent free SMS site, http://www.mtnsms.com, which can be used for sending and receiving SMS's to/from South African MTN cellphones, has stopped responding (DNS resolve fails).

Does anyone know what has happened to them, and if they're going to come back into service?

Thanks

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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#4717 11-Apr-2004 21:47

Don't know what happened, but checking the DNS records it shows as expired 26 Mar 2004. Someone forgot to renew it? The company behind the MTNSMS service is Airborn. You can check with them.

I used it when it was free around the world...

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pixies

4 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

#4734 13-Apr-2004 01:52

Thanks for your DNS check. I wonder why they did it without any further notice, or at least a message at the front page of that site... strange...

madskier

5 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

#4740 13-Apr-2004 10:42

further info here http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/internet/2002/0203041224.asp

but it looks like it was canned 'cause it wasn't making any money :(

{snip}
Johannesburg, 4 March 2002] - The MTNSMS.com Web site is to close tomorrow, leaving its millions of users without the means to send short messages (SMS) to virtually any cellular phone.

In a message on its front page in the typical SMS-style adopted by the Web site, operator Airborn Wired and Wireless says the advertising model it adopted failed.

“As costs increased, we introduced advertising, but it was only a partial answer. Now another set of charges from third-party networks has hit our service.”

Mobile operators across the world have been known to block SMSs to their networks originating from MTNSMS, arguing that their subscribers use such services, denying them the revenue from such SMSs. A move to demand SMS interconnect fees similar to those paid on voice calls, where the originating network pays the receiving operator a fee to complete the call, has gained speed in recent months.
{/snip}

pixies

4 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

#4758 13-Apr-2004 19:06

Saw this too when I was searching for any hints about it in Google, but if you look at the date, it is from March 2002, 2 years ago...

freitasm

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#4759 13-Apr-2004 19:24

Two years ago was when they moved from free SMS to advertisement paid SMS, plus some restrictions. That's why the article says something along the lines of "look out for some changes"...

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pixies

4 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

#4814 15-Apr-2004 06:56

The MTNSMS site has suddenly gone back to life after 10 days of silence. Enjoy it!