Twitter Phone FAQ

2008-11-06T18:23:33-08:00

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Twitter Phone FAQ

2010-01-04T17:40:00-08:00

<div> <h1 style="margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: #555555; float: none;">Using Twitter via SMS </h1> Twitter is a new kind of technology that uses multiple methods of communication to help keep you in touch with people and information you care about.  Using Twitter with your phone will change the feel of Twitter for you.  Not only can you receive Tweets via SMS when people you've specified update, you can also send updates to Twitter while you're on the go.  These are some of the most frequently asked questions about using Twitter via SMS.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Text Messages?  Sounds expensive.  How much will Twitter cost me? </h2> Twitter charges you nothing, but how much it costs to use Twitter with text messaging depends on your text messaging plan.  Standard text messaging rates (such as international text messaging fees) do apply.  Consult your service provider to ensure that your text plan covers your Twitter usage. If you're using our international numbers, give your provider the Twitter phone number you'll be using to see if you'll incur extra charges.  If you're using Twitter from outside of the US, please consult your carrier, as every provider has a different policy.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">When I give you my number, you wont charge my phone bill? </h2> No.  Twitter doesn't charge your phone bill.  Sending and receiving messages to Twitter is like sending to a regular number.  Usage charges for text messaging are applied by your carrier and depend on your SMS plan. Some people pay a per-message charge of ten cents or more.  Some people have an allotted number of text messages monthly.  Some (lucky!) people have unlimited text plans. We must caution: Twitter can become highly addictive, so make sure that your texting habits and your text plan are compatible.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How does Twitter use my phone number? </h2> Think of Twitter as a single contact who sends all of the messages from your friends.  Twitter uses your number to send web updates to your phone in text message format.  Your number is private; Twitter never reveals phone number information.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">What are the Twitter short codes? </h2> We currently support 2-way (sending and receiving) Twitter SMS via short codes and 1-way (sending only) via long codes. Short codes for 2-way Twitter SMS: US: 40404 Australia: 0198089488 (Telstra customers) Canada: 21212 India: 53000 (Bharti Airtel customers) Indonesia: 89887 (AXIS and 3 customers) Ireland: 51210 (O2 customers) New Zealand: 8987 (Vodafone and Telecom NZ customers) UK: 86444 (Vodafone, Orange, 3 and O2 customers) 1-way long codes: Germany: +49 17 6888 50505 Sweden: +46 737 494222 All other countries: +44 762 4801423 </div> <div> *Note: if you send messages to a number other than the one listed in your settings page, the message will be dropped. For all people using international numbers: once your phone is verified, you'll be able to send your updates to Twitter, but you will not be able to receive text updates from Twitter.  Find out more on the Twitter Blog.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">What is a short code? </h2> Short codes are numbers made specifically for SMS (text) messages. Twitter uses various short codes to send and receive your updates.  Sending a text message to a short code is just like sending a text message to a phone number. Short codes are made specifically for text messaging, so you can't send an email to a short code, or call a short code.  Charges for using our short codes are the same as standard text messaging rates to full-length phone numbers. Long codes are also text only, but they're the length of a standard phone number instead of being shortened.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How do I add my phone to Twitter?</h2> You can add your phone by sending ‘start’ to one of the Twitter short codes if your country and carrier are supported. Find out more about it <a href="http://twitter.zendesk.com/forums/59008/entries/14589">here</a>. <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;"> Can I use the same phone number on multiple accounts, or have multiple phone numbers for the same account? </h2> No.  You can only use one phone number for one account.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How long can my updates be?</h2> We have a 140 character limit on Twitter updates.  If your update is longer than that, the full update will post to the web where it can be viewed in its entirety.  We'll still send the truncated version: only the first 140 characters will go to phones.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How do I send direct messages from my phone?</h2> Send a direct message to anyone on Twitter using the direct message command, d + username, like this: d krissy message goes here Make sure to use the user name (found in the profile URL) and not the real name, or it will post to the public timeline, or go to someone else! <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;"> </h2> <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Can I update Twitter from my phone but not receive other people's updates? </h2> Yes.  As long as you've <a href="../../../10711/entries/14589">verified your phone</a>, you can send updates to Twitter even if all notifications are off.  Make sure to set your updates to OFF on the web, or send OFF from your phone.  People using +44 7624 801423 will always be able to send messages, but will not be able to receive them.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Can I turn updates on for some people and off for others? </h2> Yes. Set up <a href="../../../26810/entries/18565">text preferences for people you follow</a> from the drop down 'following' box on the profile page.     <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How do I turn a specific person's updates on or off from my phone? </h2> To get a person's tweets on your phone, use the <a href="../../../10711/entries/14020">commands</a> FOLLOW or ON + username, like this:  follow caroline on caroline To turn tweets off again, send LEAVE or OFF + username, like this.  leave crystal off crystal   You can change notification preferences from the profile pages of everyone you follow. <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;"> </h2> <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How do I turn ALL twitter messages off or on from my phone?</h2> To stop getting Twitter updates, send OFF, STOP, or QUIT from your phone at anytime.  We will send you a final message confirming that your phone notifications are off.  Sending ON will turn them back on. <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;"> </h2> <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Is there a setting for receiving only @replies on my phone?</h2> </div> <h3 style="font-weight: normal;">Nope. But if we get enough feature requests, we may just add it for you. <a href="../../../../requests/portal/new">Send us one</a>!</h3>   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Is there a setting for receiving only direct messages on my phone? </h2> Yep! You can set this up in your <a href="http://twitter.com/devices">mobile settings</a> page.  When you send OFF once, Twitter messages will turn off but direct messages will be on.  When you send OFF twice, everything will be off.  You can also set up <a href="http://twitter.com/account/notifications">email preferences</a> for direct message notifications.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">If I turn Twitter off, will I still get Direct Messages? </h2> Yes. You will receive direct messages if you send OFF only once; to disable direct messages, send OFF twice or change the settings in the <a href="http://twitter.com/devices">mobile settings</a> page.  You will always receive a copy of your message on your web archive, and in your email if you set it up in your preferences.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Can I favorite updates from my phone? </h2> Yes.  If you receive an update that you'd like to mark as favorite, reply to the update with FAV + username, like this: fav delbius   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">I'm getting a lot of updates.  How can I get fewer? </h2> Stop getting updates from some friends without stopping all updates from all friends.  The easiest way to do this is to change text preferences on the web from the person's profile page.  You can also use the leave or OFF command.  Text OFF + username or LEAVE + username to stop getting messages from a specific person, like this: leave bs Make sure you're using the username, and not just the screen name.  (Find the user name by going to the person's profile and looking in the URL at top.)     <div> <h1 style="margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: #555555; float: none;">Using Twitter via SMS </h1> Twitter is a new kind of technology that uses multiple methods of communication to help keep you in touch with people and information you care about.  Using Twitter with your phone will change the feel of Twitter for you.  Not only can you receive Tweets via SMS when people you've specified update, you can also send updates to Twitter while you're on the go.  These are some of the most frequently asked questions about using Twitter via SMS.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Text Messages?  Sounds expensive.  How much will Twitter cost me? </h2> Twitter charges you nothing, but how much it costs to use Twitter with text messaging depends on your text messaging plan.  Standard text messaging rates (such as international text messaging fees) do apply.  Consult your service provider to ensure that your text plan covers your Twitter usage. If you're using our international numbers, give your provider the Twitter phone number you'll be using to see if you'll incur extra charges.  If you're using Twitter from outside of the US, please consult your carrier, as every provider has a different policy.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">When I give you my number, you wont charge my phone bill? </h2> No.  Twitter doesn't charge your phone bill.  Sending and receiving messages to Twitter is like sending to a regular number.  Usage charges for text messaging are applied by your carrier and depend on your SMS plan. Some people pay a per-message charge of ten cents or more.  Some people have an allotted number of text messages monthly.  Some (lucky!) people have unlimited text plans. We must caution: Twitter can become highly addictive, so make sure that your texting habits and your text plan are compatible.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How does Twitter use my phone number? </h2> Think of Twitter as a single contact who sends all of the messages from your friends.  Twitter uses your number to send web updates to your phone in text message format.  Your number is private; Twitter never reveals phone number information.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">What are the Twitter short codes? </h2> We currently support 2-way (sending and receiving) Twitter SMS via short codes and 1-way (sending only) via long codes. Short codes for 2-way Twitter SMS: US: 40404 Australia: 0198089488 (Telstra customers) Canada: 21212 India: 53000 (Bharti Airtel customers) Indonesia: 89887 (AXIS and 3 customers) Ireland: 51210 (O2 customers) New Zealand: 8987 (Vodafone and Telecom NZ customers) UK: 86444 (Vodafone, Orange, 3 and O2 customers) 1-way long codes: Germany: +49 17 6888 50505 Sweden: +46 737 494222 All other countries: +44 762 4801423 </div> <div> *Note: if you send messages to a number other than the one listed in your settings page, the message will be dropped. For all people using international numbers: once your phone is verified, you'll be able to send your updates to Twitter, but you will not be able to receive text updates from Twitter.  Find out more on the Twitter Blog.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">What is a short code? </h2> Short codes are numbers made specifically for SMS (text) messages. Twitter uses various short codes to send and receive your updates.  Sending a text message to a short code is just like sending a text message to a phone number. Short codes are made specifically for text messaging, so you can't send an email to a short code, or call a short code.  Charges for using our short codes are the same as standard text messaging rates to full-length phone numbers. Long codes are also text only, but they're the length of a standard phone number instead of being shortened.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How do I add my phone to Twitter?</h2> You can add your phone by sending ‘start’ to one of the Twitter short codes if your country and carrier are supported. Find out more about it <a href="http://twitter.zendesk.com/forums/59008/entries/14589">here</a>. <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;"> Can I use the same phone number on multiple accounts, or have multiple phone numbers for the same account? </h2> No.  You can only use one phone number for one account.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How long can my updates be?</h2> We have a 140 character limit on Twitter updates.  If your update is longer than that, the full update will post to the web where it can be viewed in its entirety.  We'll still send the truncated version: only the first 140 characters will go to phones.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How do I send direct messages from my phone?</h2> Send a direct message to anyone on Twitter using the direct message command, d + username, like this: d krissy message goes here Make sure to use the user name (found in the profile URL) and not the real name, or it will post to the public timeline, or go to someone else! <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;"> </h2> <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Can I update Twitter from my phone but not receive other people's updates? </h2> Yes.  As long as you've <a href="../../../10711/entries/14589">verified your phone</a>, you can send updates to Twitter even if all notifications are off.  Make sure to set your updates to OFF on the web, or send OFF from your phone.  People using +44 7624 801423 will always be able to send messages, but will not be able to receive them.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Can I turn updates on for some people and off for others? </h2> Yes. Set up <a href="../../../26810/entries/18565">text preferences for people you follow</a> from the drop down 'following' box on the profile page.     <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How do I turn a specific person's updates on or off from my phone? </h2> To get a person's tweets on your phone, use the <a href="../../../10711/entries/14020">commands</a> FOLLOW or ON + username, like this:  follow caroline on caroline To turn tweets off again, send LEAVE or OFF + username, like this.  leave crystal off crystal   You can change notification preferences from the profile pages of everyone you follow. <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;"> </h2> <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">How do I turn ALL twitter messages off or on from my phone?</h2> To stop getting Twitter updates, send OFF, STOP, or QUIT from your phone at anytime.  We will send you a final message confirming that your phone notifications are off.  Sending ON will turn them back on. <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;"> </h2> <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Is there a setting for receiving only @replies on my phone?</h2> </div> <h3 style="font-weight: normal;">Nope. But if we get enough feature requests, we may just add it for you. <a href="../../../../requests/portal/new">Send us one</a>!</h3>   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Is there a setting for receiving only direct messages on my phone? </h2> Yep! You can set this up in your <a href="http://twitter.com/devices">mobile settings</a> page.  When you send OFF once, Twitter messages will turn off but direct messages will be on.  When you send OFF twice, everything will be off.  You can also set up <a href="http://twitter.com/account/notifications">email preferences</a> for direct message notifications.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">If I turn Twitter off, will I still get Direct Messages? </h2> Yes. You will receive direct messages if you send OFF only once; to disable direct messages, send OFF twice or change the settings in the <a href="http://twitter.com/devices">mobile settings</a> page.  You will always receive a copy of your message on your web archive, and in your email if you set it up in your preferences.   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">Can I favorite updates from my phone? </h2> Yes.  If you receive an update that you'd like to mark as favorite, reply to the update with FAV + username, like this: fav delbius   <h2 style="margin: 11px 0px 2px; color: #444444;">I'm getting a lot of updates.  How can I get fewer? </h2> Stop getting updates from some friends without stopping all updates from all friends.  The easiest way to do this is to change text preferences on the web from the person's profile page.  You can also use the leave or OFF command.  Text OFF + username or LEAVE + username to stop getting messages from a specific person, like this: leave bs Make sure you're using the username, and not just the screen name.  (Find the user name by going to the person's profile and looking in the URL at top.)

2008-11-06T18:23:33-08:00

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2010-01-04T14:16:14-08:00

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