Texting through Facebook with Vodafone

Vodafone is trialling a new web application that allows users to send text messages through social networking site Facebook.

The new online application, which users can install on their Facebook profile, allows them to send text messages to their friends on the site and non-Facebook users alike.

Vodafone Connect to Friends can be used by anyone on the social networking site regardless of the mobile operator they use.

Social networkers can buy text message credit through the online payment system Pay4it, which charges their mobile phone operator directly, so the messages will show up on your mobile bill.

Disruptive Analysis´s Dean Bubley told telecoms.com: "It´s really pretty clever, as it allows you to use the UK operators´ PayForIt system to charge to your own non-Vodafone mobile account."

Subscribers to the service are given 25 text messages free of charge for signing up.

After that, text messages cost ten pence each and picture messages cost 30 pence.