A texting application, also called a messaging application, is an application in a smartphone that enables a user to send messages and multimedia messages and make regular voice or video calls without using cellular networks. These applications have been used for their flexibility and ease of use particularly for cross-border communication and in case of low network coverage.
They are not limited to texting but include voice and video calls, sharing location, emoticons, gifs, and many other critical features of higher-level requirements.
They can share all types of content: text, audio messages, videos, images, music files, etc. These apps may be accessed through tablets, smartphones, and desktops, due to the cross-platform compatibility of its services, which is another advantage. Below are five widely known Wi-Fi texting apps.
- Nextiva
- Hushed
- Google Voice
- We Chat
- TextFree
1. Nextiva
Nextiva is a business communication solution based in the cloud that provides several features to suit businesses in their communication and productivity requirements. Below are the features of Nextiva. Nextiva has the following characteristics.
- VoIP Phone Service: Nextiva offers VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, which means companies can make a phone call over the Internet. Some of the functions are call transfer, call hold and the much-favoured voicemail.
- Call Recording: It includes call recording features which are valuable for instructional or monitoring as well as compliance purposes.
- Video Conferencing: Nextiva provides virtual meeting solutions, webinars, and video calls. It can assist businesses with remote working and conferencing.
- Team Messaging: There is also real-time Team Messaging and Chat which serves as an efficient tool for real-time communication within the team.
- Auto Attendant: The auto attendant feature in Nextiva helps businesses set up custom messages and menus that will help route calls as soon as they are received.
- Mobile App: Nextiva has always had an app which means users can have all their communication tools on hand when they are on the move which is ideal for people who work from home or remotely.
- Integration: Nextiva can partner with top business resources such as CRM software and can enhance productivity in the process.
- Analytics and Reporting: The main advantage of the platform is its ability to generate analytics reports that can help identify the efficiency of call performance and other communication data.
- Call Management: It comes with options for call transfer, and call distribution, options that can be of importance in customer relations, and call centres.
- Voicemail-to-Email: Able to convert the voicemail into an email and this will help users to manage the messages easily.
- Call Monitoring: There is a call monitoring feature, especially for supervisors and managers, this provides an avenue for real-time coaching on the call for customer service representatives, there is a call whispering feature.
Pros and Cons of Nextiva
Pros:
- Nextiva has severable communication and collaboration tools such as VoIP, video and audio conferencing and team messaging.
- Appearance-wise, Nextiva is well known for its reliability and always up time so businesses can always communicate.
- There are several positive comments about Nextiva services and the main focus is made on the fantastic customer support and friendly service.
- It is extensible and compatible with other business tools and solutions, which improve efficiency.
- Mobile application is the feature which lets Nextiva’s users communicate and perform work tasks with portability.
Cons:
- Compared to some Nextiva competitors, Nextiva’s pricing could be a bit high for small businesses, depending on the plan and the features clients would like to use.
- Because Nextiva is a VoIP service, its quality greatly relies on the stability of the internet connection. Problems in line connectivity tend to affect the types of calls made in the process.
- Others complain that the tool may take a long time before one masters the various elements needed to use all the features.
2. Hushed
Hushed is an application with a related service that enables the client to use temporary or secret phone numbers. Intended to provide its users with anonymity when sharing their phone numbers, calling, or texting without exposing their personal or primary numbers.
- Disposable Phone Numbers: Hushed is an application through which one can set up temporary or fake phone numbers. These numbers can be used for any reason some of which include; online dating and online marketing to sell some products, or even to enhance the privacy of a person.
- Call and Text Messaging: The Hushed numbers work just like the normal phone number and thus; users can be able to make the phone call and even text.
- Multiple Numbers: The convenience of having multiple virtual numbers is possible with Hushed since the users can at any one time have the numbers they need for various purposes or simply to segregate business and personal calls.
- International Numbers: Hushed gives users a way to virtual phone numbers originating from different countries and this is perfect for people who wish to make international calls or being in a different country than where you are.
- Privacy and Security: Hushed wants to help users keep their real number to themselves and use Hushed instead to avoid sharing a primary phone number with people or services they do not trust.
- Temporary Use: Another great feature of the app is that the users can choose their desired time when the Hushed numbers will be deactivated automatically. This is beneficial when targeting those who will provide short-term service or deal with it in a short time.
- Call Forwarding: The application offers a user options whether the call made to the virtual number is to be forwarded to the user’s primary number.
- Voicemail: Virtual numbers for the service come with the option for voicemail to make certain one does not miss crucial messages.
Pros and Cons of Hushed
Pros:
- Hushed offers its consumers temporary phone numbers so they can be discreet. This is of assistance when using a mobile number but when making calls ‘they do not want to use your real phone number.
- As a phone number is temporary, then anyone receiving spam calls, harassment, or other unwanted contacts will surely dispose of this particular number.
- People can own several virtual numbers which is more appropriate for different categories for example in cases of dating online business or even personal.
- Hushed offers virtual phone numbers from different countries and it is ideal for international or pretending to be somewhere you aren’t.
- Hushed offers call forwarding which means that when someone is dialing the virtual number, the call will be forwarded to your actual phone so you won’t miss any important calls.
- Hushed mobile application for the iOS and Android operating systems allows users to effectively manage and use virtual numbers on smartphones.
Cons:
- Hushed comes with its spree of free features but if you want to avail more features, numbers or usage, you may want to subscribe or pay extra.
- Multiplying, call quality increases or decreases depending on the location of the virtual number he is using or the service provider has connected him. It may not be as reliable as normal phone services sometimes, though.
- VoIP and other disposable, throwaway phone services might be also limited legally or regulated in some countries. The aforementioned services should be known to be bound by local laws.
- Hushed numbers must not be used when dialling emergency numbers since the latter cannot return a correct location when the caller is in danger.
3. Google Voice
Google Voice is a telecommunications service by Google that offers different things regarding phone calls, text messaging, and voice messages. Here are some of the important features of this feature of Google service Google Voice.
- Call Forwarding: It is possible to assign a Google Voice number to your other numbers including a mobile or a landline. The Google Voice number can be forwarded to any of these linked numbers every time someone calls this number which makes it easier to answer calls on these devices.
- Voicemail Transcription: Google Voice also transcribes the messages received through voicemail and we can find it convenient to read and sort messages. Users can also receive notifications about their voicemail through their email.
- Text Messaging: Google Voice has integration for text, where people can send and receive text messages using their Google Voice number.
- Call Screening: Users can block specific callers by being able to listen to a caller’s message before it is being recorded, to determine whether to answer the call or not.
- Call Recording: Google Voice enables the caller to choose to record the called person and bring it back in case of any disagreement.
- Integration with Google Services: Google Voice works well with other services of Google, like Google Calendar with which it is easy to schedule calls therefore manage them.
- Conference Calling: Google Voice number allows users to start a conference call with other participants.
- International Calling: Google Voice has reasonably cheap rates for making international calls, hence it is cheap to call or make contact with people in other countries.
Pros and Cons of Google Voice
Pros
- Specifically, utilizing the Google Voice number, users can forward calls to mobile or landline numbers, or even any other phone number, so that calls can be controlled in the form of devices.
- Google Voice converts voicemail messages into text format for easier read and management of messages. The customer can get notified through his email when he has a voicemail.
- The service enables text messaging, users can compose and send/receive SMS via their Google Voice number.
- Google Voice also provides the ability to preview a caller’s message while it is being recorded so the user can decide if they wish to answer the phone or send it directly to the voicemail.
Cons
- Google Voice is mostly used in the United States only, and in some cases, the features may not be complete for the users of Google Voice in other countries.
- Google Voice is not designed for making emergency calls, as your location may be unidentified by the authorized services.
- Unfortunately, Google Voice requires a Google account, which would not be perfect for those who want to maintain two different accounts: a personal and their Google Voice account.
4. WeChat
WeChat also referred to as Weixin in China is a messaging, social media and payment app designed for use on smartphones and created by Tencent. Today WeChat is one of the popular social networking and communication tools, primarily in China and other countries of Asia. The following are the important features of WeChat.
- Messaging: Text, voice, and video messaging services in WeChat let a user share media with more than one contact either individually or in a chat group.
- Social Media: WeChat provides users with diverse kinds of social functions, of which moments can be regarded as WeChat’s answer to Facebook’s timeline which allows users to share updates, photos and videos with friends.
- Mobile Payments: WeChat Pay is one of the most widely used mobile payments for different services like buying, eating in restaurants, travelling, and paying bills. It is widely used in China and it is frequently used when negotiating small-value transactions.
- Business Accounts: Actually companies and organizations can open official accounts on WeChat to communicate with their buyers, post materials or content to clients and even provide some services for their clients. Subscription accounts and service accounts for people with different needs. There is a special subscription and services account for people with different needs.
- Location Sharing: Some of the features of WeChat are, sharing the live location to be able to locate friends and family members in case they are lost.
- Translation: Of course, there is also a translation option that enables users of different languages to understand one another when they exchange messages.
Pros and Cons of WeChat
Pros:
- WeChat is an application that replaces traditional messaging apps, social media platforms, mobile payment, etc., all in one.
- Users can update their Moments feed with text, image or video, similar to an asynchronous message feed, as well as respond to their friend’s content.
- WeChat includes the functionalities to share and broadcast videos meaning that users’ multimedia content needs are met.
Cons:
- WeChat is not well-known and is perceived as unfamiliar by users outside of China, which makes it not very effective for those who wish to communicate with users in other countries.
- Some of the Novelty of WeChat is not convenient for Non-Chinese users because most of WeChat contents and its users are Chinese.
- The safety variations are also defined in WeChat where users have fallen victim to phishing plus account hacking.
- This is true because WeChat can take up a lot of mobile data particularly when using it for video calls or sharing multimedia.
5. TextFree
TextFree is a mobile application and service which enables a user to send and receive text messages and calls, using a free or a second phone number. As a result, it serves best for individuals who prefer their calls to be private, have another phone number temporarily, or call and text without sharing their main phone number. Take a look through the following features of the Wi-Fi TextFree texting service.
- Free Text Messaging: TextFree provides users with an option of a second phone number through which they use to send and receive text messages.
- Customizable Phone Numbers: TextFree enables its users to select from the readily available list of phone numbers with different area codes hence the impression of using a local number in the area of your preference.
- Voicemail: There is also a mail facility in the app so that users can manage the voicemails left by the callers.
- International Messaging: Some allow the sending of text messages and the making of international calls but the latter necessitates the procurement of credits or a subscription.
- Customizable Themes: This app is a fun one because users can also change the skin and the background of the app in any colours they desire.
- Available on Multiple Platforms: TextFree is an Android and iPhone mobile application, which can be installed on a smartphone and tablet and a web app that allows texting from a computer.
Pros and Cons of TextFree
Pros:
- TextFree enables users to send and receive text messages for free making it unique for people who want to avoid this cost.
- Subscribers can get a virtual crucial number helpful for private, online dating, business or wherever one doesn’t desire to provide a chief number.
- You can select a phone number from the available numbers, and these are different zones or area codes.
- Voicemail service is also available so that when a call is received or missed it may be placed in the voicemail.
Cons:
- There are certain paid options to access cleaning services which can be through credit or packages.
- The basic version of the application is a free one, it allows you to call other users of TextFree but it may be limited to non-text-free numbers. There is a possibility of you having to pay extra for you to be able to call as many numbers as you wish.
- TextFree may charge fees to other non-TextFree numbers, and your free version may be restricted to international calls only.
Also Read: 10.0.0.1 Piso Wifi Portal User Guide
