MailTXT
A new way to text
What is it?
MailTXT is a free, peer-to-peer texting service developed by the Daily Mail. The service was developed having identified an audience of c.2 million individuals who read the Daily Mail who were frequent texters (half of these were on Pay as You Go tariffs, the other half on contract tariffs). The service is marketed as free as MailTXT doesn't charge users for using the service, however there is a small mobile operator fee of less than 0.3p to send and receive each message on a mobile - there is no charge when sending from the website. For each message that is sent and received via mobile, the user receives a 0.5p MailTXT Credit that can be redeemed against purchases in Mailshop or exchanged for vouchers towards buying the Daily Mail.
How does it work?
The primary advantage of using MailTXT is in reducing an individual's overall text charges. Ofcom state that the average price of sending an SMS in the UK (to a UK user) is 5.6p while the cost of sending and receiving one MailTXT to anywhere in the world is 0.5p. Similarly, the service provides huge savings when texting from abroad – the average cost of sending a SMS from Europe to the UK is 21p versus 1.4p for sending and receiving one MailTXT in Europe to anywhere in the world.
MailTXTs can only be sent between individuals who have registered for the service. However, additional functionality in the application allows MailTXT users to send a regular text message from their MailTXT inbox to non-users for only 5p worldwide.
To sign up, users simply visit the website and create their own unique profile. This then triggers an automatic SMS which is sent to the user's phone from where they can download the application. MailTXT is a Java Application and the download process will cost the user no more than 50p. Alternatively, a number of shortcodes have been set up whereby users text a key word and receive an SMS trigger to sign up on mobile - bypassing the website for automatic sign-up via mobile. Users can then invite their friends and family to join them on MailTXT by sending SMS invites or customised emails.
On sign up, users provide us with their name, age, postcode and gender which will ultimately allow us to target discrete audiences via the service. On sign up, users agree to be sent commercial messages via their MailTXT inbox and these will be limited to one per day. Similarly, on sign up there is a marketing permission agreement that allows users to opt-in to receiving communications from the wider DMGT group - this sign up is optional.
The service is advertised both online and in print across the group brands, numerous acquisition emails have been sent to individuals from various databases that fit the profile of MailTXT subscribers and SMS messages will be pushed to the relevant numbers on our group database. The MailTXT way of texting means changing consumers' texting habits. To this end, users are credited with 50 SMS messages when they open their account with the idea being that this will allow them to get used to sending messages from the application. Once their free credits are used up they can either purchase more SMS credits at 5p each (allowing them to send messages to non-users) or convince their friends and family to sign up for free unlimited MailTXTs.
The short–term aim for MailTXT is to drive user numbers to a level where we can segment the user base to provide targeted campaigns for advertisers. The aim will be to create bespoke advertiser offers via MailTXT (e.g. buy one get one free, special discounts etc) that add value to the MailTXT experience.
