# Meteor - Free web texts - Any group text facility?



## RainyDay (22 Jan 2006)

I'm considering switching from O2 to Meteor to get a new handset. I use the O2 web text facility, including the group texts, pretty frequently. Does anyone know if Meteor offer a group text facility?


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## DrMoriarty (22 Jan 2006)

Well, you can build an online contacts list (about 50+ in mine, not sure what the limit is...) — from which you then just tick checkboxes to send the message to the desired multiple recipients. But afaik you can't create a one-click solution akin to an email distribution list — 'members of dept. X', etc. Is that what you mean?

_[Edit: Correction. You can indeed do this...]_


> Create a new group by simply entering the name of the group in the field below. Then select names from the list below and click Save Group to Phonebook.


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## RainyDay (23 Jan 2006)

Many thanks, Doc.


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## DrMoriarty (23 Jan 2006)

Cheers, RainyDay.

Depending on what handset you're after, can I suggest that Nokia phones are the easiest to unlock, post-contract? (although I suspect you already know that...)

P.S. Subject to your own particular circumstances/'needs', I still can't see any reason _not_ to switch to Meteor... but I don't want to be accused of pimping! All I know is I pay significantly less p.a. to top up my wife+5 kids' pre-pay 'habits' with Meteor than I would any other way 'round...


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## RainyDay (4 Nov 2006)

The Meteor group text facility is terrible. You can only send 30 group texts a month (i.e. 1 text to group of 30 members, or 3 texts to a group of 10 members). On the O2 site, there was no distinction between group and individual texts in terms of your monthly limit. And once you used up your limit, you could send texts at the normal charge - with Meteor, you just can’t send web texts at all once you use up your limit.

I’ve tried getting around the limit on the number of monthly texts by setting up the 70 approx group names in my address book on Mymeteor.ie and selecting each name manually. However, on some occasions when I send a text to a large number of recipients, I get redirected to an error page ([broken link removed]) and prompted for an administrator login. So far, it seems like the texts have gone through, but it is hard to have any confidence in the system when these errors happen.

When I queried this with Meteor, I got the bizarre response of ‘It is possible to send a group of texts to 10 People only at one time’ - pity they don’t highlight this limitation on their website? 

If this doesn't improve, I'll be switching back to O2 as soon as my contract period with Meteor expires.


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## jem (4 Nov 2006)

thanks very much for this post rd.
I had been considering changing but I use the web text a lot for scouts etc. from what I hear the o2 one is the best of the web text's.
website often down though.


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## Rudolph (4 Nov 2006)

To the best of my knowledge you can actually send 300 free web texts in any given month, not 30 as previously stated. I am not aware that there is a limit of 30 per group- I send regular weekly group texts to over 40 people. I do know that because I had an old SIM I had problems when I originally went to set up the group facility,I think I might have been limited to 30 per group. But this was subsequently resolved by Meteor. If unsure contact Meteor to discuss it with them.


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## RainyDay (4 Nov 2006)

Meteor.ie tells me 'You have 297 Free Web Texts including 30 Group Web Texts remaining this month'. When I attempted to send a group text to a group of 66 people, I was advised that I didn't have enough group texts left. I'll get the exact error message again during the week.


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## Thirsty (4 Nov 2006)

There is a limitation on the group texts (and it's policy): but you do get 300 per month of single texts.  

The simple answer is to go into your contacts and select each member of your group and you'll be able to send the text to each of them; so you can send each member of your 66 strong group 4 messages a month should you wish.

I've used the Meteor website for the last 2-3 years (in regards to a voluntary group I'm a member of) and haven't had an issue - better still it's free!


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## RainyDay (7 Nov 2006)

Thanks Kildrought. Your comments match my experience, except for the error messages I was getting last week when I attempted to send a message to a large number of receipients. 

When I try to send a message directly to a group (containing 66 members) it tells me "You have used up all your free SMS this month. Please try again next month" even though I have nearly 300 free texts left. The fact that I have only 30 group texts left must be the problem.

However, Rudolph seems to have a different experience. Rudolph - Are you sending the message directly to a group, or are you selecting the individual members one by one?


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## elcato (8 Nov 2006)

I had the same problem as Rd when sending to a group (of only 12) so I just select the names now. In getting back to your original post the meteor pre-pay leisure plan which is evening and week-end cheap rates is excellent seeing as that's about the only time I would use the damn thing.


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## Rudolph (11 Nov 2006)

Apologies Rainyday I may have mislead you. I do actually individually list out the forty odd contacts and the same message goes to them all. Thirty is the actual limit for groups and you can only send one text to a group of no more than thirty per month. Hope this clarifies.


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