Post Updates to Google+ via SMS

Google has updated the post-via-SMS feature on Google+ by extending support to 41 new countries, and by doing so took the total from just 2 to a whooping 43. The 43 countries that Google selected has very low adoption of mobile broadband that can be attributed to high cost and poor coverage. India, for example, has 900 million mobile subscribers as of March 2012, but only 10-12 million of those subscribers are on 3G services. Smartphone usage in India is quite low as well with even the most optimistic reports putting the numbers at 25 million. However, all subscribers have access to cheap SMS services.

When Google+ launched in June last year, SMS features were available only in India and the US. After the expansion, Google+ SMS is available in 41 new countries:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bahrain, Benin, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo (DRC), Cote D'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia.

The Google+ SMS feature allows users to post updates to their Google+ account and also receive notification about their Google+ activity, such as comments received, using the SMS feature on their mobile phones.

To get started, add and activate your phone number on the Google+ settings page. You can also add a PIN number for added security. While actual SMS attacks are quite rare, it is technically possible for an attacker to spoof an SMS and send updates to your Google+ account that appears as though it came from you. Once you setup a PIN, include the PIN before your SMS post and circles. For example:

"A1B2C3 Will see you at the game +soccer folks" where “A1B2C3” is your PIN number.

The list of supported carriers and the phone number where the SMS needs to be sent is available on this page, and also reproduced below:

Country	Carrier	System number
Afghanistan	AWCC	2125400
Afghanistan	Etisalat	8080400
Afghanistan	Roshan	4664400
Algeria	Nedjma	+213558996400
Angola	Unitel	46645400
Bahrain	Viva	87700400
Bahrain	Zain	94004400
Benin	Moov	95650400
Cambodia	Smart	1000400
Cameroon	MTN	8741400
Cameroon	Orange	+23798008301
Congo, Democratic Republic	Vodacom	+243822063400
Congo (DRC)	Vodafone	+243822063400
Cote D'Ivoire	MTN	4442400
Cote D'Ivoire	Orange	2258500
Cote D'Ivoire	Moov	41918400
Egypt	Mobinil	34400
Ghana	MTN	1980400
Ghana	Tigo	8300
Ghana	Airtel	5400
Guinea	Orange	500000400
India	All carriers	+919222222222
Indonesia	Axis	71400
Indonesia	Hutchison	4665400
Indonesia	Indosat	367400
Indonesia	Telkomsel	4664400
Indonesia	XL Axiata	94640400
Iraq	Zain	2601400
Israel	Orange	1000400
Israel	Pelephone	10400
Jordan	Umniah	99813400
Jordan	Zain	909070400
Kazakhstan	GSM Kazakhstan	30400
Kenya	Airtel Kenya	+254786100400
Kenya	Safaricom	+254700999400
Kenya	Yu	+254754001400
Kenya	Orange	10400
Kuwait	Viva	5078400
Kuwait	Wataniya	1971400
Kuwait	Zain	898400
Kyrgystan	Megacom	46245400
Liberia	Cellcom	8400
Malawi	Airtel Zain	+265991903400
Malawi	TNM	80400
Malaysia	Digi	222350400
Malaysia	Maxis	260060400
Maldives	Dhiraagu	+9604664400
Maldives	Wataniya Maldives	4645400
Morocco	Inwi	333400
Mozambique	Vodacom	8418400
Niger	Orange	91995268
Nigeria	Airtel	+2348021600400
Nigeria	Glo	20202400
Nigeria	MTN	40700
Nigeria	Starcomms	33166400
Nigeria	Visafone	610400
Pakistan	Mobilink	2434400
Philippines	Globe Telecom	2662400
Philippines	Smart Communications	4664400
Philippines	Sun Cellular	22020400
Saudi Arabia	Mobily	611011400
Saudi Arabia	Saudi Telecom Company	88555400
Saudi Arabia	Zain	710466400
Senegal	Orange	+221774699400
Senegal	Tigo	22408400
Sierra Leone	Comium	60400
Sri Lanka	Dialog	4664400
Sri Lanka	Mobitel	89000400
Sri Lanka	Etisalat	103200400
Tanzania	Tigo	46400
Tanzania	Vodacom	+255766790400
Thailand	DTAC	42662400
Thailand	TRUE	47640400
Tunisia	Tunisiana	871222400
Tunisia	Orange	871818400
Uganda	MTN	902801400
Uganda	Orange	+ 256790791900
Uganda	Uganda Telecom	+256715887400
United States	All carriers	33669
Uzbekistan	Ucell	45400
Vietnam	Vinaphone	9666400
Zambia	Zamtel	3566400

You can also receive notification alerts about various activity on your Google+ account. These notifications can be customized at a granular level.

SMS updates and notification is not a feature exclusive to Google+ though. Facebook also supports posting of status messages and receiving updates from friends and other notifications via SMS.