Mobile Campus, a provider of interactive mobile communications and transactional services for university students, has launched the beta version of preTXT, an Internet-based mass mobile messaging and scheduling service.

This free service allows students to send holiday messages to up to 42 contacts at once, and schedules them to be sent on the holiday or the special occasion date and time of their choice.

"Mobile Campus saw a niche need by some of our most active users during the holidays, and that need was to be able to still enjoy instantaneous connectivity to friends or loved ones over the holidays while trying not to miss out on their holiday celebrations," said Brandon Hartman, vice president of messaging for Mobile Campus, Atlanta.

PreTXT is designed to take the hassle out of sending holiday greetings when students are busy with travel, family and friends.

For example, with its advance scheduling technology users can send a New Year's greeting to a handset at the stroke of midnight without stopping what they are doing.

"Text messaging is a powerful tool, but because it also requires that the user be plugged-in at the same time, it can be limiting as well," Mr. Hartman said. "Add to it that most cell phones only allow mass-sends of 10 or fewer people, and your average college student is sending multiple messages all night instead of enjoying the holidays."

PreTXT's interface lets users decide who will receive the message, what it will say and what time to deliver it. The service is subsidized by advertising, though standard text message charges may apply.

The solution is available to all Mobile Campus subscribers. Opt-in members receive targeted notifications and alerts, content, applications, services and commercial offers via their mobile phone.

"The rules of mobile marketing require significant permissions provided by the individual user," Mr. Hartman said. "PreTXT.com is a first step in building the trust needed to facilitate the permission-based agreement."

"While preTXT.com is an intensely personal mobile utility, Mobile Campus plans to one day provide national brands sponsorship opportunities for similar multi-modal communications," he said.