Thursday, February 05, 2009

One very useful article

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2339983,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03129TX1K0000625
The Best Wireless Carrier Shortcuts
02.03.09


AT&T: [Phone Number]@txt.att.net
AT&T: press #
AT&T: Dial *646#
AT&T: 77 (Delete)'; 33 and then 9 (Save); 3 (Fast Forward); 1 (Rewind)
Here's how to leave voice mail for someone without listening to a boring greeting message first—plus other helpful tips.

Total posts: 6
by Jamie Lendino

Buzz up!on Yahoo!
Each wireless carrier has a number of shortcuts that let you get around its system more quickly. They're not well published, though. As a result, many people don't use them or even know they exist.

As usual, that's where we come in. If you know your recipients' service providers, you can use these fast shortcuts to get around each carrier's system—and, in the case of text messaging, save some money as well.

Send free text messages via e-mail. The person receiving the message still has to pay for these—but you won't have to, and that's what counts, right? Simply enter the person's phone number, along with the appropriate carrier-specific e-mail address from those listed below, into any e-mail client. The result will appear on the person's phone as an SMS text message. Note: All phone numbers are 10 digits with no dashes (example: 2125551212).

Alltel: [Phone Number]@message.alltel.com
AT&T: [Phone Number]@txt.att.net
Nextel: [Phone Number]@messaging.nextel.com
Sprint: [Phone Number]@messaging.sprintpcs.com
T-Mobile: [Phone Number]@tmomail.net
Verizon: [Phone Number]@vtext.com
Virgin Mobile: [Phone Number]@vmobl.com

Skip over someone's voice-mail greeting. Tired of your aunt's "Macarena"-backed voice mail greeting? Chances are, when it comes to her and anyone else whose greeting you're sick of, you already know their carriers. Here's how to skip ahead and get right to the important part: leaving a message.
AT&T: [Phone Number]@txt.att.net
AT&T: press #
AT&T: Dial *646#
AT&T: 77 (Delete)'; 33 and then 9 (Save); 3 (Fast Forward); 1 (Rewind)
Sprint: press 1
T-Mobile: press #
Verizon: press *

Find out how many minutes you've used this month. Not sure if you're about to blow through your allotted voice minute total and send your monthly bill soaring? Try these shortcuts:

AT&T: Dial *646#
AT&T: 77 (Delete)'; 33 and then 9 (Save); 3 (Fast Forward); 1 (Rewind)
Sprint: Dial *4
T-Mobile: Dial #646#
Verizon: Dial #646

Save, navigate, or delete a voice-mail message while you're listening to it. You already know you have to call Bob back about the Oaxley account—because you just did. Except that only now, you're hearing the long and unnecessary voice mail message he left yesterday about it. Here's how to delete it as soon as it starts playing:

AT&T: 77 (Delete)'; 33 and then 9 (Save); 3 (Fast Forward); 1 (Rewind)
Sprint: 7 (Delete); 9 (Save); 3 (Fast Forward); 1 (Rewind)
T-Mobile: 7 (Delete); 9 (Save); 3 (Fast Forward); 1 (Rewind)
Verizon: 7 (Delete); 9 (Save); 3 (Fast Forward); 1 (Rewind)

Got any specific carrier shortcuts you like to use? Let other readers know what they are in the Discussion forum.