If you’re anything like me, you’re probably still stuck on the anemic AT&T SMS package of 200 text messages and find yourself over each and every month. It’s not that I’m cheap, but that overage per month adds up over time and I’ve wanted a good, reliable way to send messages to people and do it for free. Some methods of sending “free SMS” via the web can’t be replied to by the person you’ve sent a message or they might not know that it is indeed you that’s doing the sending.

GOGII, Inc. [ site here ] has recently updated their textPlus Apple iPhone application to version 2.0 and added the ability for people to simply respond to your free username via textPlus 2.0 and you’ll receive the message whether you’re in the app or via the Apple iPhone 3.0 enabled push notifications when you’re not in the app.

textPlus 2.0’s highly anticipated usernames give non-app users in the U.S. the ability to start text conversations with their friends using textPlus. All they need to do is text a friend’s username to 60611, and the conversation begins. In fact, with usernames, textPlus users no longer even need a phone number to send or receive texts from inside the U.S.

New to users outside the U.S., textPlus 2.0 offers a convenient, cost effective alternative to international texting. Because textPlus 2.0 usernames are accessible worldwide, textPlus users who have registered a username can send and receive text messages for free to and from other textPlus users, anywhere. So, a textPlus user on a WiFi network located in the United Kingdom can now engage in a username-to-username text conversation with another textPlus user in the United States, Japan, France or anywhere else in the world, for free.

Not only is this a way for me to save money per month on my constant SMS overages, but my friends – one or groups of more than one – overseas or on other cellphone networks can easily contact me for free directly as well. This is definitely a new model for texting.

There are a few, unobtrusive ads that are included in the app, and normally I avoid ad supported apps. But they’re seriously not in the way… and besides, the app works great and is free, but textPlus 2.0 is definitely worth a download for your Apple iPhone. Setup to get my account up and running and my phone number verified took less than 2 minutes. All for free.

[ GOGII ] [ textPlus ] [ Related: Apple iPhone 3GS ]