Help for users

What is it?

DOTGO is a brand new way to send and receive information to and from any individual, company, or organization with an internet domain name by using cell-phone text messaging.


How do I use it?

To use DOTGO, just send a text message starting with an internet domain name to the phone number DOTCOM (368266)—or to the phone numbers DOTEDU (368338), DOTGOV (368468), DOTNET (368638), or DOTORG (368674) as appropriate.


For example, text "cnn" to the phone number DOTCOM (368266) to access CNN (cnn.com). Or text "wikipedia" to the phone number DOTORG (368674) to access Wikipedia (wikipedia.org).


Many services also accept additional input, allowing you to specify exactly what information you are seeking. For example, text "ezipsky" + your zip code + something in the night sky (like the name of a planet, star, or constellation) to the phone number DOTCOM (368266) to get up-to-the-minute instruction on how to see a celestial object (ezipsky.com). Just remember that the first word of your message specifies the internet domain name and the phone number specifies the top-level domain.


What can I do with it?

You can use DOTGO to get the information you need on the go, using your mobile phone. Some services are optimized with DOTGO to provide information that is specifically designed to be accessed in a mobile setting. For example, text "fedex" + a tracking number to the the phone number DOTCOM (368266) to track your FedEx package (fedex.com). Other services are not yet optimized with DOTGO, in which case DOTGO tries to provide a useful rendering of the service's web site. For example, text "nytimes" to the phone number DOTCOM (368266) to read the news (nytimes.com).


Since DOTGO is brand new, only a handful of services are optimized with DOTGO right now. But expect the number of services optimzed with DOTGO to grow rapidly, as individuals, companies, and organizations find out just how useful DOTO can be. So be sure to check back in with us regularly.


Does it work with all mobile phones?

Yes. DOTGO works using SMS cell-phone text messaging, which is supported by virtually all mobile phones and is an extremely popular and rapidly-growing form of communication. You do not need a special "smart" phone, and you do not need to download or install a custom application program.


How much does it cost?

DOTGO services are offered free of charge—to both users and publishers. But your standard mobile carrier text messaging rates may apply—check with your mobile carrier for details. If you plan to use DOTGO often, then you may want to consider purchasing a fixed-cost text-messaging plan. Again, check with your mobile carrier for details.


Is it the internet?

Not exactly. DOTGO replicates the domain-name structure of the internet. That makes it easy for you to find exactly what you are looking for. Looking for a weather forecast from weather.com? Find it by texting "weather" to the phone number DOTCOM (368266). Looking for the address of a nearby Starbucks from starbucks.com? Find it by texting "starbucks" to the phone number DOTCOM (368266).


But the information available on DOTGO is generally a subset of the information available on the internet—the subset that is most useful and relevant in a mobile setting. DOTGO is designed to make it easy—and fast—for you to send and receive small amounts of information (say one or a few text messages worth) using your mobile phone. You can use DOTGO to get the information you need on the go—easily, quickly, and without the fluff. It is perhaps most useful to think of DOTGO as an extension of the internet to cell-phone text messaging.


I can already access the internet from my cell phone. So what's the point?

Browsing the internet using a mobile browser is often a frustrating experience: screens are small, service is slow, and internet access plans with many mobile carriers are expensive. In contrast, DOTGO is custom-built for the natural medium of mobile phones: cell-phone text messaging. In many instances, you can find the information you need far more quickly by using DOTGO than you can by using a mobile browser. Don't believe it? Then try it!


Further, DOTGO provides a way for you to subscribe to information on a regular (or even irregular) schedule. Want your daily horoscope delivered at 9:00 AM? Then subscribe to horoscope.com. Or want an upate whenever a breaking news event occurs? Then subscribe to cnn.com. Any request for information from DOTGO can be easily turned into a subscription—the possibilities are nearly limitless.


Can you tell me more about subscriptions?

Would you like to receive messages on a regular schedule, or when new content is available?


How do I unsubscribe?

To unsubscribe from any query, just text...


How do I learn more?

The best way to learn about DOTGO is to try it. Try texting a few of your favorite internet domain names to the phone number DOTCOM (368266) or to the other DOTGO phone numbers. And have a look at our interactive and subscription pages for more examples. Have fun!