Text Message Donations Help Quake Victims

After the worst earthquake in 30 years struck L’Aquila killing 250 and leaving thousands homeless, Italians are text messaging donations to help, reports Zoomata.

Italian mobile operators, Wind, Tre and Vodafone, made a single number available for SMS donations to earthquake victims. Cell phone users send a blank text to 48580. They’re charged one euro for each text, cell phone companies promise to donate the entire amount of each message.
Texters are sent a confirmation that says, “Thank you. With this message you’re helping people in Abruzzo who have been hit by the earthquake.”
Thumb tribes have been sending in support in Italy since 2002, when another earthquake in Southern Italy prompted the first cell-phone fund drive.