SMS Chat Alternatives

Google Talk
Google offers Google Talk, a chat client through its Gmail email service. Anyone with a Gmail account can use Google Talk by logging into their account. Google Talk is free and comes with a variety of benefits that make it a useful alternative to SMS chatting. It allows you to chat with your AOL Instant Messenger friends, it allows you to send SMS texts to phones for free and you can access Gmail and Google Talk on most computers that have Internet access.
Skype
Skype is an Internet phone service that allows you to communicate with people across the globe. With Skype you can call your friends over an Internet connection for free if they also have Skype, or for a charge if you call their phone. Skype also offers a chat service that allows you to send messages to other Skype users. You can also text phones directly through Skype for a small fee, depending on the location. Skype requires you to download and install the program onto your computer; the download is free, but to use Skype you must be using a computer that has the program installed.
Yahoo! Messenger
Like Gmail, Yahoo! Messenger allows you to chat with other Yahoo users. While you need a free Yahoo! account to access Yahoo! Messenger, this messaging program has a separate free download that installs onto your computer. As a result, you do not need to be logged into your Yahoo! email account to use the messaging service, but you must be on a computer that has the messaging client installed. Like Gmail, you can send and receive SMS messages for free to mobile phones, although your friend may be charged for the message.
Smart Phone Applications
Many smart phones, such as the iPhone or the many phones using the Android or Windows operating systems, allow you to send messages to other smartphones with the program. Phones may have their own messaging system, such as the Blackberry BBM program, or they may offer a variety of free or paid applications that allow you to communicate with other users of that application. For example, the MSN Live, Yahoo! Messenger and Facebook chat applications allow you to chat with other users of the application and all have versions for multiple platforms.