Facebook Mobile Texts: The Comprehensive Guide
February 5th, 2009
So you’ve signed up for Facebook Mobile and SMS alerts. Now you’re probably wondering how you interact back with Facebook. Instead of just receiving notifications of new wall posts and pokes, can I make wall posts and pokes from my phone?
photo: Christmas w/a K
Well, there are several options. Firstly, point your web browser to m.facebook.com. It’s the version of Facebook which is specially designed to work on your phone. You might want to read my article about web browsing on your phone – what the data charges are like and why you should consider using Opera Mini.
The second option is to use Facebook Mobile Texts. It’s much quicker and simpler to do – although it will cost the same as sending a standard text message. If you’ve got a free text allowance, it’s a no brainer (make sure your Facebook texts are included in the plan). If you’re shelling out 10p for each 160 character SMS message, you might want to keep an eye on your bill.
You use Facebook Mobile Texts by sending a message to FBOOK (32665). Check out the summary at the bottom or have a look at what you can do…
Update your status (@ is updating his status)
This is probably the main thing you want to do. Send @ followed by your status.
@ is updating his status would change your status to “Ken is updating his status”.
N.B. You can omit the @ sign and normally this will still work. The exception is when you use reserved keywords.
Get profile information or phone number (cell john doe / srch john doe)
This gets you somebody’s essential profile information e.g. mobile phone number, landline number, email address, current status, relationship status, network and education. A bit like a business card really.
If you are friends with the person, send cell john doe. Otherwise, send srch john doe – Facebook will present you with a search listing of people with that name. Text a choice back to see their public profile.
photo: Andy Welsh
Send a message (msg john doe hello!)
Send a private message. Type msg, followed by their name and then your message.
Make a wall post (wall john doe hello!)
If a private message will not do and you insist that the whole world reads this message, type wall, followed by their name and then your message.
Poke (poke john doe)
Pokes someone. Text poke followed by their name.
Add a friend (add john doe)
Adds someone. Text add followed by their name.
Write a note (note this is a note)
Adds a note. Text note followed by your note.
Summary:
Text the following to FBOOK (32665).
photo: Iain Farrell
- @ [your new status]
- cell [name of person to retrieve profile info for]
- srch [name of person to search for]
- msg [their name] [your message]
- wall [their name] [your message]
- poke [their name]
- add [their name]
- note [your note]
You can try these out on the Facebook website to see what they’ll do.
| About Ken | |
 | My mission is to demystify the world of mobile technology for general audiences and to communicate how mobile technology can enhance every aspect of our daily lives. I've been maintaining the Ken's Tech Tips website since 2004. I have experience communicating mobile technology and presenting new mobile products both online and offline, including at various trade shows and events. You can check out my profile or drop me an e-mail. |
Does anyone know, how this global service is operated?
thanks
jw if when writing wallposts using mobile texts, you can insert page breaks?
Does anyone know how to respond to the comments other people make on your status via Mobile SMS? Do I need to try to subscribe to myself?
When you get messages from facebook do you get charged?
E.G. for me to text facebook it will cost 0.20c but will it also cost me 0.20c to receive a text from facebook?
yo..i got CHARGED MORE THEN 15 CENTS AND I HAVE UNLIMITTED TEXTS !!!!! WTH !!!! OMG!! IM LIKE BROKE NOW THNKS GEES
I have Bell Mobility, I have unlimited texting so I thought it was free and it turns out it actually cost 0.15c per message which is not what I expected. Long story short in 5 days I blew 35 bucks on status updates and wall posts when I thought it was free.
You should check with your provider first that the Facebook texts are included in your text allowance. Generally, the cost to receive/send a text to Facebook should be the same as a normal text (e.g. if you get charged 0.15c to receive a text normally, it’ll cost that much to recieve one from Facebook). That said, certain operators might charge differently.
How do you comment on a status update that someone makes? I get a text from Facebook saying, “John Doe likes cookies. Reply to comment.” But when I reply, it sets my comment as my status instead.
how to reply to a post.. like a status update? and how to comment on my own post?
well i am a vodaphone user and i have a sim contract wich gives me unlimited amount off texts and 600 mins i only want to use facebook texts do you know if it will charge me or not ? x
How do I discontinue getting alerts from my facebook account to my cell phone. I just recently changed plans and only have 200 text per month. I want to cancel the facebook alerts. Thanks
Is there a way to make my posts NOT go to someones phone, who has FB mobile activated? I only want to be able to communicate via FB and not their phone. Thanks.
Does anyone know how to cancel text alerts from Facebook through GMail?
I get loads every day and am being charged for them. My mobile provider suggested cancelling through Settings in Facebook but that doesn’t seem to be where I originally set this up.
I was having the same problem so what you have to do is instead of clicking on the link in the text they provide 32665 (fbook), click on the number that sent the message. The “from” number. Once I did that it sent it to my actual post I was trying to reply to rather than post it as a brand new random status. Hope that helps!
how can u comment back on ur post/status
to comment on someone elses , when you recieve a text (someones status) just reply like you would a normal text, and if someone comments on either your status or someones that you have commented on just do the same
Does anyone know how to turn off tips for the facebook mobile text?
When I get a text from facebook about one of my friends updates, and it says reply "n" for next, and I do that it will come back as the facebook mobile tips. and it is annoying me because now I can't read all that my friends post. so I have to go on facebook to see what it said. which is defeating the purpose of why facebook mobile was invented. someone help please.
When I poke a friend from mobile using….Poke John Doe it comes back, "which john doe n-Heather-? Ive got nothing for you."
I'm getting 2/2 ibe" to unsubscribe – How do I stop this?