Text messaging brings junk2U

By JOSIE CLARKE

Chain letters, hoaxes and junk mail have made the leap to mobile phones.

Vodafone confirmed yesterday that an Australian chain letter had started to circulate among mobile phones in New Zealand.

The chain letter is being sent to cellphone users via SMS (short message service), also known as text messaging.

The message says, "All Networks are now capable of sending SMS [short messaging service] between networks. Forward this SMS to 8 people to receive 6 months free SMS (Telstra) Mobilenet, Optus, Vodafone."

A Vodafone spokesperson said chain letters, hoaxes and junk mail in the form of text messages were not unheard of in New Zealand, but the company did not believe there were enough of them to consitute a problem.

The chance of customers being "spammed" with unwanted messages was slim as Vodafone did not release customers' mobile numbers to other companies.

He advised mobile phone users to delete junk text messages without sending them on.

Telecom, which introduced SMS technology on a limited basis this year, said it was not aware of junk text messages on its network.

The popularity of text messaging, particularly among teenagers, has astounded phone companies here.

Between 500,000 and one million text messages are sent on New Zealand cellphones each day. They cost 20c each to send.