You can now send SMS to Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, and Sun Cellular subscribers from your Google Mail (GMail) account. The GMail-to-SMS service allows Filipinos to send and receive text messages from the Gmail interface to and from Globe, Smart, and Sun numbers. FOR FREE!

Myriam Boublil, Head of Communications and Public Affairs for Google Southeast Asia said: “SMS in Gmail Chat will bring a new level of flexibility and mobility to Gmail users in the Philippines. With more than 70 million mobile subscribers in the Philippines and the country being the SMS capital of the world, we think this service will allow for seamless integration between mobile and PC communication and make it more convenient for Pinoys to send each other messages.”

Gmail users can send a text from the desktop interface directly to a mobile phone via SMS. The process is similar to sending as instant message. The recipient of the SMS can respond to the text message and the response will appear in the sender’s desktop Gmail interface. The message can be stored and archived like any other chat or IM messages.

Standard network charges will apply for any communication from the Globe, Smart or Sun phone to the desktop. However, sending SMS from the Gmail Chat to a phone is FREE.

And you can also send SMS free to mobile networks in 20 other countries including United States, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. The complete list of partner networks is at this link.

Using the GMail-to-SMS feature is easy. Follow these easy steps:

1. Type a phone number and a short message into the new SMS box in Gmail’s chat window on the left-hand side of the screen.
2. Click send.

Contact phone numbers can be stored in the Gmail address book.

SMS in Gmail Chat is automatically enabled for Gmail users. If it is not active in your account, you can activate it in Gmail’s settings window.

NOTE: As of this moment, every user can initially send up to 50 messages continuously. Every reply back from a mobile phone refreshes the counter by five messages, up to a maximum of 50. Even if you go down to zero, however, you will not be locked out of the system. The counter will increase back up to one 24 hours later.

For more details, instructions and troubleshooting please visit http://www.google.com.ph/intl/en/mail/help/sms.html.