Whining middle-Englanders, polyester slack-wearing Conservatives, nostalgic old duffers and social climbing Home Counties types will soon be able to send outraged texts for free, thanks to a new service from Associated Newspapers’ Daily Mail.
There’s no subscription fees or contractual commitments for the MailTXT service, with users asked to activate their account by logging on to www.mailtxt.co.uk and downloading a Java program on their handset.
Users will need a data connection as the messages are sent and received by connecting to the Internet, with the Mail estimating a charge of 50p for every 100 messages sent and received in the UK.
Users will be credited 0.5p for every message sent and received through MailTXT, and once a year the number of messages sent and received will be totted up and punters offered a choice of credit for the Daily Mail’s shopping website or vouchers for buying the Daily Mail (oh joy!).
We can’t say we liked the sound of Guy Zitter, the Daily Mail managing director’s, words: “Aside from giving our readers a vital money-saving service, MailTXT provides us with the platform to find out more about them, so we can continue to deliver the kind of quality content and products that appeal to them most.”
Looking through their terms and conditions, it looks like subscribers can expect to be pestered by targeted adverts too:
“Our aim is to provide our customers with a platform on your mobile phone where you can get the latest news, enter competitions etc. From time to time we may take the opportunity to let you know about new products, services and exciting offers.”
The Daily Mail appears to have big plans for the MailTXT service, and is looking to use it to drive traffic to its website: “in the future you will be able to read the latest news from the Daily Mail, enter competitions, sign up to text alerts and even buy from Mailshop.”
i would really love this 2 my phone
ple ple can i have this stuff