Virtual Phone for Windows

Question

Is there a virtual phone like program or application which you can get where you send and recieve texts from actual phones?

Answer 1

I use a webapp called txtDrop

perhaps the one and only ‘free web sms service’ that allows you to send and receive sms from computer to your friend’s mobile phone. Most sms web service only provides a one way communication, txtDrop somehow managed took the whole concept of free sms one step further by allowing the receiver to reply to your message to your email.

Answer 2

You can use Google Voice to send and receive text messages from your computer. Of course it is invite only at this point.

Answer 3

I have a special dongle on my EEE netbook which provides me mobile Internet. Next to it's Internet functionality, it also provides a means to read, write and archive text messages.

While there are several online service that allow people to send text messages, there aren't any (that I know of) that allow people to receive them too. Not for free, anyway. The generic solution is to have a small piece of hardware that connects to the USB port of your PC which contains a phone chipcard for some mobile phone provider, which will turn your computer in some sort of mobile phone.

Problem is, sending and receiving text messages is a service provided by phone companies which earns them money. Many providers charge a micropayment per message, although many provide a bundle which allows you up to a specific amount per month. Thus, if there is any such application, then you're probably will have to pay a monthly fee to use it.

Answer 4

I am using a virtual phone service from RingCentral. They provide a nice software for controlling and managing every call, messages, contacts, etc.