Slashdot Mirror
World's First SMS Text Messaging May Fade Soon
Infractor writes: "UK Mobile provider Orange has moved to pull the plug on the world's first ever text message community -- Locust Cellular
Linux hacker Jon Anderson built the service, similar to wireless email and IRC chat back in 1996. A student Linux project, accidently became the first service to offer interactive text message facilities on this UK network. After Locust's forced closure was announced to its members, a huge campaign has been organised by the subscribers to draw attention to the incredible value which has been created by this unique SMS community." (There's more below.)
"Hundreds of personal letters and testimonials have already been posted on the community action site which is at SaveLocust.org -- This site also has an expose on what is described as 'Orange's Hypocrisy' over claims that it is launching a competitive service to Locust. An article has already appeared on TheRegister.co.uk
For the UK, this is a unique social phenomena, driven by the power and intimacy of text messaging. Please review the evidence for yourself. This community shows what technology can really do in the wireless world. Locust still runs on good ole Linux 2.0.33 -- if it aint broke ... :)"
To bad a genuinely helpful and uncommercally started SMS community will shut down. Atleast here in Finland most of the available SMS services are run by the operators and are generally shameless rip offs for your money.. "Order your biorythm to your mobile, only 1 per message"
"There is a terrorist behind every bush"
Locust is a profit-making company. It's in their interests to maintain the status quo, because it provides them with a model for making money.
Locust's Terms and Conditions say include the statement that Locust reserves the right to change price plans or service features at any time if required, yet when Orange exercise the same right, they start kicking and screaming.
There are other mobile phone network operators in the UK - Vodafone, Cellnet, One2One. Why doesn't Locust talk to one of them with a view to switching providers?
I'm sorry, but I don't really see what the big deal is here. Seems to be another case of people wanting something without having to pay for it, both in terms of the disgruntled Locust users, and the people who profit from it.
On top of all the Locust problems, Jon must be getting a bit sick of being mistaken for a progressive rock singer..! (The other Jon Anderson is a member of Yes)
(this is not a
Locust is and always was used by a minority of users. 600 users out of Orange's 10,000,000.
It sprang up out of Orange's original free SMS service. Back in the days when SMS was hardly ever used and it was impossible to SMS across competing phone networks Orange offered, for £2.50 per month, SMS sending and receiving with no charges per message - and they didn't charge the monthly fee either.
This was on the basis that Orange hadn't perfected the system and that later on they would start to charge for the service - something that was told to everyone who signed up. Because of this Locust was able to start using very basic technology (A unix box and a phone with a serial cable) and reasonable low overheads.
When Orange started charging for Text messages they offered Text1500, a bulk text message service for £60 per month which offered unlimited messages.
At this rate, with Locust sending out 300,000 messages per month it was costing them about £0.0002 per message for the over the air portion. This compares very favourable to the £0.02 that other SMS sending services charge.
Companies today, more so with the economy slowing, are trying to make more money out of all of their subscribers and this is just one way that Orange have found to try and do that.
Also of note is that the same people as run Locust offer commercial SMS services run "properly" (Linked to mobile networks rather than using a mobile phone on a PC).
Matt Thompson - Actuality - Insert product here.
My Sprint PCS phone here in the states allows me to log in to AIM...
Unfortunately, per-minute charges apply, which makes it much easier to just call the person I want to talk to...
BN