[LINK] Text and talk

[Adam Todd]

At 07:06 PM 9/11/2006, Ivan Trundle wrote:
>Has anyone else noticed a strange switch of allegiance between text
>and voice, and the chosen method of communication?
>
>When mobile phones first hit the planet with any impact, everyone
>used computers to text each other (IM via AIM, AOL, MSN et al) and
>reserved voice conversations for the analog phone line, or the mobile.
>
>And now, with VoIP, Skype, iChat and beyond, I see that people are
>using computers to talk to each other (or with video), and reserving
>the mobile phone for texting. And paradoxically, I'm finding it

And in about 1996 Australia Post was complaining that it was going to go 
out of business because of email!

TXT messages tend to be the domain of the youth.  High disposable income, 
willing to change plans and providers at the drop of a hate, no reservation 
to having several "contracts" started each year.

I don't know too many 35+ that use TXT to communicate as a main means.  But 
then I don't know too many 35+ :)  (I was going to add that are 
intelligent, but ...)

Instant message services have grown in populatity too.  It's not uncommon 
for people to have two or three (or more) online profiles.

I have a number of ICQ addresses.  However MSN changed the tone by using 
email address, limiting most people to one address.  However, as I have 
several addresses I've found it a necessity today to have all of them 
active on MSN and Yahoo.

I prefer voice calls, or sending a voice MMS.  I "don't do SMS" as I prefer 
to dictate a 10 second instruction and send it on it's way so the recipient 
can review it as often as required.  A "Voice SMS" message in a way.  Far 
easier to send and faster!  There aren't to many people who can SMS at 80 
words per minute!  (In fact isn't the world record 160 characters in 45 
seconds??)

I have to admit, my voice call inbound has dropped dramatically the last 12 
months.  I almost don't need a phone any more.  The only people who ring me 
on it are those in "traditional" business environments.

Since adding Skype, I've had a growing number of my calls routed via that 
service, making it totally transportable with me wherever I have my 
laptop.  Like right now on the 14th floor of the Law Courts building!

With "free" call time on most mobile networks, my wife and I still 
communicate lots of times a day (when we're not in the same place) with 
long and short calls.  They cost nothing to initiate, cost nothing to hold 
and as long as we don't go over the per call time limit, they are free.

You can say a lot in 10 seconds, whereas you can't type, send, open, and 
read and SMS in that same period of time.

With IM <--> SMS gateways becoming more and more popular younger people are 
tending to use these as a means of cross communications.  In fact using 
bluepulse on your mobile phone you can have your MSN, Yahoo, ICQ etc on 
your mobile and use it pretty much anywhere you have mobile connectivity.

And of course, a PDA can run Skype, MSN, ICQ, Yahoo, IRC, and connected 
with a mobile phone (internally or by Bluetooth) you have SMS, MMS, Voice 
calls and ...

But I digress!

I find most of my overseas communications is by telephone, "casual" 
communications by e-mail, and no SMS.

I find my local communications if by e-mail with pretty much everyone, even 
the courts.  But then I don't know too many people who don't have email 
access.  (In fact I can only think of one, and she's my "replacement" 
Grandmother.  But that might change shortly.)

It's certainly true that SMS in it's own, tends to be a very fast means of 
"point to point/multipoint" communications.  But I don't think people 
specifically consider the cost as a "saving" overall.

SMS messages often cost 25 cents each.  I've watched my Co-Producer SMS 
with the same person 15-20 times in a 15 minute period.  Although she has 
"200" free SMS messages each month, if you hold 4 conversations a day, 
sending say 8 messages in each, you are a long way off a "free" month.

I also really feel that holding an SMS conversation takes far longer than 
making a call that last 30 seconds.

The problem is, as Ivan points out, people digress in conversation.  (I do 
it in e-mail quite well!)  In a voice call, you start of with  "hellos" and 
"how are you" and "nice day" then onto the "issue" and then "By the way ..."

In an SMS, all the personalisation is gone.  There is no "Hello, how are 
you, I'm really well.  I was just wondering if you could meet me at 2 PM 
today to discuss XYZ and the marketing plans."

Instead you get this:

2PM 2day mktplns, cya.



ttfn I hv 2b in crt