Communication through Social Networks

[neoaddict]

My school is exploring a variety of ways to better communicate with students, such as mass texting and social networking websites.

My questions are:

a) Has anyone tried implementing a mass texting system? If so, what did you use and what problems did you face?
b) Besides major websites like Twitter and Facebook, what are some other ways (through technology) that the school can quickly relay messages to students? For example, if the choir teacher decides to schedule a choir practice on the following morning, how would he/she relay that to their students in an effective manner?

Thank you. :p

[Zzl1xndd]

Not sure on your area but Mass text my not be the best idea if users get charged for incoming texts.

As for Facebook, Using groups for each would probably be the best idea. However people will still need to sign up to be part of the group.

Perhaps an old fashion mailing list would work as well.

[neoaddict]

All of this would be opt-in of course.

I think some of the teachers may approve of an opt-in e-mailing list, but the thing is that many of my fellow classmates don't check their e-mail because they have too many Facebook e-mails in their inbox. :(

[tylerspaska]

You can use a gmail account to send and recieve mass texts.

You have to enable SMS in your account, but then you just put everyone's number in the account and when you want to send a mass text you either type it like an email and send or you can send from your own phone to gmail and then gmail will forward the text to everyone. It's sweet.

I work with a large group of about 250 people and this is how we contact everyone. You can also set the account so that when anyone else texts back it is forwarded to your phone.

Yes, text messages cost, but most people my age or that I interact with have unlimited or enough to cover their @sses. It's really not that much money.

[neoaddict]

I did some Googling and it seems that that feature is only available for US phones. D: What about us non-US people? D:

[Zzl1xndd]

I did some Googling and it seems that that feature is only available for US phones. D: What about us non-US people? D:

Not sure but if your in Canada most of the providers are set up for it. for example if it was a Rogers Phone it would be 5555555555@pcs.rogers.com

Fido
5555555555@fido.ca

Telus:

3335551111@msg.telus.com

Bell:

3335551111@txt.bell.ca

Not sure as you might be in another non-US country.