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How about adding Text Message Alerts (SMS Messages)

Forums: Suggestions and Feedback
Created on: 09/01/08 08:07 AM Views: 1375 Replies: 1
Monday, September 1, 2008 at 8:07 AM

I don't know if "real time communication" templates will include sending text message alerts (using SMS text messaging) to other classmates, but I think it would be cool. I know that alot of people have unlimited text messaging on their cell phones.

Here is how I envision it would work:
Under the classmate's profile, they would have a "Cell Phone" input field where they would input their cell phone number and a check-box that says "receive SMS/Text Message alerts".

Below the Cell Phone section, there would be a new section called "Alerts". The Alerts could happen two different ways, by E-mail and by Text Messaging. There could be two different check-boxes by each different alert that can happen, one for "Text Me" and the other is "E-mail me". If no Cell Phone for the profile has been entered, the "Text Me" option is not available. The following is a list showing which Alerts are possible:
* Send alert when reunion information changes
* Send alert when there is a new announcement added
* Send alert when any classmate updates their profile
* Send alert when In Memory section is updated
* Send alert when there is a new discussion thread

(Can anyone else think of other alerts?)

In the lower section of "Edit Profile", there could be a section entitled "My Friends" with a drop-down of all the classmates and a button to "Add to list of 'My Friends'". (drop-down would not include classmates on "In Memory" page, but could include guest classmates)

After a classmate is added to the "My Friends" section, the list of friends would be listed with different check-boxes that could be turned on and off. The checkboxes would be as follows:
* "E-mail me when this classmate's profile changes" (I know this is available on the other classmate's profile page, but the same database flag could be used here, too).
* "Send me a Text Message whenever this classmate updates his profile".
* "Send me a Text Message whenever this classmate signs in (so we can chat)" (only available if a cell phone with SMS messaging has been added). This alert could also be available for "E-mail me", but it is assumed that E-mail is slower than text messaging.

Next to each classmate listed in "My Friends" is a button "Remove" that will remove the classmate from "My Friends" list.

I don't know the details about SMS text messaging. For example, is it free for the sender, but it might be worth it to do some research about this feature.


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Monday, September 1, 2008 at 11:01 AM - Response #1

Wow! Your thoughts are well ahead of mine. Love it. Very interesting idea, never even thought of such a thing.

I'll save this thread right here so we can revisit this concept in the future. The first goal of course will be to get the real time communication templates implemented. Programming work won't even begin on those until next year, so it's a stab in the dark as to when these will actually be live. Once we get there though, I'm sure there will be all kinds of additional cool things we can do, possibly including adding text message alerts. I have no clue what this entails yet, I have no clue what the cost is, and thus I have no clue if it's feasible. What I can tell you though is this is something we can take a look at when we get there.

Thanks again for the idea!


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