The service kicked in Wednesday, June 1, allowing customers of the two telecoms providers to exchange text messages throughout the region.

C&WJ offers the facility under its bmobile product.  It will cost $4 per message to send text messages between bmobile and Digicel phones.  To send a text message to a Digicel customer, bmobile customers will dial 876 and the seven-digit number of the person they wish to reach.

"This agreement will provide another useful service for customers served by the leaders in the region's mobile market," said president Jacqueline Holding, quoted in a company release.

"We are pleased that despite the keen competition between bmobile and Digicel there are opportunities for cooperation for the good of our respective customers and the industry generally.'

The same release quotes Digicel's regional director of carrier services Ian Marwood saying cross network text has always been seen as a growth area for mobile communication, adding that his company was willing to cooperate on other developments.  Digicel is the leader in Jamaica's mobile market of 1.8 million users.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/Business/html/20050605T020000-0500_81807_OBS_CROSS_NETWORK_TEXT_MESSAGING_SERVICE_NOW_AVAILABLE.asp