How to Get a Free Phone From ATT Without a Contract

1. Navigate to AT&T's online store using your computer's Internet browser (see Resources).
2. Navigate to 'Service Type' and select 'GoPhone Prepaid.'
3. Click on 'Show Only,' then select 'Free Phones.'
4. Review the phones on your screen and find any that are free. Sometimes AT&T requires you to purchase the phone, then sends you a rebate for the full amount paid for the device.
5. Click on the phone you would like to purchase.
6. Enter all of your personal information into the forms when prompted, including your name, address and other contact information.
7. Select how many minutes you would like to purchase for your phone upfront. AT&T requires you to prepay for minutes on all GoPhones. You are also able to add minutes as often as you like.
8. Enter your credit card information and click 'Submit.' Wait three to five days for your phone to be delivered to your specified address.

How to Send Text Messages Online to Any Cell Phone

1. Determine the domain of the email address to which you should send your message. For Sprint, the domain is 'messaging.sprintpcs.com.' For Verizon, the domain is 'vtext.com.' For T-Mobile, the domain is 'tmomail.net.' For AT&T, the domain is 'txt.att.com.' Domains for other providers are available on their websites.
2. Use your recipients full 10-digit phone number for the address to which you should send the message. The address will be the 10-digit number followed by an '@' symbol, followed by the domain you determined in step 1. For example, if your recipient was a T-Mobile subscriber with the phone number 123-456-7890, type '1234567890@tmomail.net' as the 'To:' address to send the text message using your email.
3. Compose your message, Note that you can ignore the subject line. Also, do not use any special fonts or formatting. When you are done, just send the message. Your recipient will receive your message as simple text.

How to Use a Different Text Messaging Client on an EVO

1. Open the Android Market on your Evo.
2. Search for the 'Handcent SMS,' 'Go SMS Pro' or 'ChompSMS' application. Select the application from the results list.
3. Install your preferred application to your phone from the Android Market.
4. Launch the application, instead of the default mail application, when you wish to send a message. If prompted to select a default program for messaging, such as when you want to send a message from your phone book, select the newly downloaded app and choose to remember the setting as default.

How to Text Someone on a Net10 Phone

1. Go to the Net10 Online portal for sending text messages.
2. Enter the 10-digit Net10 phone number and your message in the text boxes. The maximum-sized text message you can send is 110 characters.
3. Click the blue 'Send Message' button to send the text message to the Net10 customer.

How to Send Free Text Messages on Google

1. Log in to your Google Gmail account. If you do not have an account, you can create one for free. Log-in to the Gmail site and enter your chosen 'email' and 'password' into the provided spaces.
2. Click on the 'Google Voice' link. Once logged into your Gmail account, look to the top-left of the screen to see a variety of links. Click on the 'More' link to bring up various options, including 'Voice.' Click on 'Voice' to go to the Google Voice site.
3. Compose your text message. Once on Google Voice, look to the top-left of the screen for an icon labeled 'Text,' which is situated above the 'Inbox' icon. Click on 'Text' to bring up a texting screen to compose your text. Enter the phone number of the recipient in the box labeled 'To.'
4. Choose multiple recipients to receive the text. If you are sending to multiple people, type in the phone numbers for each person in the 'To' field of the text, and separate each different number with a comma. Each text can be sent up to five people at the same time.
5. Send your text. Once you are ready, click on the 'Send' icon at the bottom of the text screen. The recipient will be able to text you back, which will be received in this same texting screen, much like an instant message conversation.

How to Send an Anonymous Text Without Provider Information

1. Send your message through AnonTxt (see Resources). All this free site requires is your message and a recipient phone number. You can opt to send an alias and a subject if you wish, though this is not a requirement. Your message will be received without a hint to your identity.
2. Send a message with TxtEmNow (see Resources). This free site also requires only a message and a phone number. You can include a contact name or email address if you want to, but this is not necessary. This site has a simple interface to allow you to get your message off quickly. Make sure to omit any dashes in the phone number to avoid errors.
3. Send an anonymous text using AllFreeTexting (see Resources). This site doesn't even give you the option of providing a name. You simple show up on the recipient's phone as 'nobody.' The person you text will know how you sent the message but not who you are.

How to Get Free Skype Credit

1. Go to the Skype website promotions page at www.skype.com. In the upper-right corner of the home page, you will find a search field.
2. Enter the word 'promotions' and view the search results. The list presented will include archives of past promotions. Archive links should not be ignored. Search past promotions to get a feel for how Skype offers free talk time. Notice that free credits are often associated with new VoIP gear like phones, headsets and webcams.Although the promotions shown in the archives have long since expired, the companies shown roll out new products regularly, so visiting these manufacturer websites may yield fresh Skype credits with a purchase of their gear.
3. Be persistent. Check back with Skype's website often. Skype promotions are often short-lived and less frequent due to their overwhelming popularity. However, you can find amazing deals if you are diligent. For example, Mac users were treated to 10,000 minutes of free access to test the Skype 2.8 software beta release for the Mac.
4. Visit on line coupon sites. This might be your last resort, as Skype credits through online coupons are rare, and the coupon codes listed at these sites are often unreliable.
5. Consider an unlimited calling plan. Is the time you spend chasing down free credits worth more than $2.95 a month? If so, consider changing from a pay-as-you-go plan to a monthly subscription. Skype is popular because their long-distance subscription plans are among the lowest available. For around $10.00 a month, as of 2009, an unlimited International plan allows you to make as many calls as you want anywhere in the world.