[rickray2]

I have a girl I like who likes me back but we don't get much time to talk when we in at school (both of us are under 18). She doesn't have a phone and thus rarely gets to talk with me after school. I was thinking that if I learned how, I could build a device that would allow us to send text messages back and forth for free and do nothing more. I am willing to build one and I am kinda a math genius. I would also like it to be solar powered. I have scoured the internet and have found nothing. I ask for either a relatively (or just flat out everything) explanitory way that I can accomplish this, or a set in case somebody already did this and is will to sell (but not to pricey).

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

~Jadeus

[Advertisements]

In order to send text messages between two devices would require being fairly close to one another or to use a carrier, (such as AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.). The farther apart the two devices were, the more power it would take to send and receive a radio signal, which of course means larger and heavier batteries. You might be able to design something to use the same airwaves as walkie-talkie type devices but they usually need to be within less than a mile or so of each other to work. And in heavily congested areas, such as in neighborhoods and towns you'd have to be much closer together.

[SpywareDr]

In order to send text messages between two devices would require being fairly close to one another or to use a carrier, (such as AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.). The farther apart the two devices were, the more power it would take to send and receive a radio signal, which of course means larger and heavier batteries. You might be able to design something to use the same airwaves as walkie-talkie type devices but they usually need to be within less than a mile or so of each other to work. And in heavily congested areas, such as in neighborhoods and towns you'd have to be much closer together.

[rickray2]

So how would I go about conecting these devices to said networks, how much would I have to pay to do that, and how could I build something that can send and recieve the signals sent through them? The approx distance is about 10 miles so the only one that will work for me is the networks.

[SpywareDr]

The cheapest thing that comes to mind right now (here in the US) would be a Consumer Cellular flip phone which are a flat $35 or $50, then add their cheapest Talk Plan of "Billed Per Use Minutes" for $10/month (then 25 cents per minute if you were to call anyone), then add a 300 texts per month at $2.50 per month, or a 1,500 texts per month for $5.00 per month, or a 3,000 texts per month for $10.00 per month or an Unlimited for $20.00 per month.

So the cheapest would be $35 up front for the phone and then $12.50 per month for the Talk/300 texts/30MB data plan. (Per user/phone of course).

Note that if you, or her, or some of your friends have a couple of old unused AT&T, T-Mobile, or an unlocked GSM cellphones, you can get a Consumer Cellular SIM card from them for free and eliminate the up front cost for those new flip phones.

More info: https://www.consumercellular.com/

[rickray2]

I want a one-time price, not a month to month thing. I can't use a flipped phone, and I am not willing to buy a new one. Are you sure that there is no way to accomplish this?

[SpywareDr]

$12.50 per month for 24 months (2 years) would be $300.00. $12.50 per month for 120 months (10 years) would be $1,500.00. You'd have to call and ask them if they would be willing to do a cash up front deal though. With a long enough plan, they might even be willing to give you a discount.

 

You don't have to use a flip phone, that was just the cheapest thing they had available. If you can't get your hands on any unused, working compatible cell phones, you might try eBay. The newer and more popular the brand, the higher the price, (usually).