Quick Jump:
Chikka Javalite (for MAC, Linux, etc.)
Sending and Receiving Messages
Sending and Receiving MMS Images
Managing Messages on the Chikka Messenger
Sending Airtime Credit through the Chikka Messenger
Get started: 1. Register via your mobile phone For GLOBE and SUN For example, if your name is Juan dela Cruz, your message will be " REG dela Cruz, Juan" as shown below:
For SMART For example, if your name is Ed Cruz, your message will be " REG CRUZ ED, 12141976, M" as shown below:
2. Send to your corresponding short code:
3. You will receive a confirmation message saying that you have successfully registered a Chikka account. Your Chikka ID is your mobile number (e.g. 639XX1234567) Start Chikka Messaging! Using Chikka on your PC:
Using your mobile phone: Check your list of buddies online by texting the appropriate keyword and sending it to your corresponding wireless provider:
<Buddy ID> <your message> Example: 2 Hey there!
Mobile Keyword Commands Here’s a quick guide to some important mobile commands.
Registration <Go to Top> How do I register for a Chikka account? To unify your mobile phone number with your Chikka ID, register for a Unified Account. Using your mobile phone, create a text message in this format: For Globe and SUN <your last name, your first name> Example: REG s, Juan For SMART REG <your last name your first name>,<MMDDYYYY>,<sex> Example: REG CRUZ ED, 12141976, M Then send it to your corresponding wireless provider:
To enjoy PC-to-mobile messaging, even without a mobile phone, register for a PC-Only Account. What is the difference between a Unified Account and a PC-Only Account? Registering for a Unified Account means that you will be able to use your mobile phone number as your Chikka ID. This makes the Chikka Messenger and your mobile phone virtual extensions of each other. A PC-Only Account allows you to register for a Chikka ID without a mobile phone. Like any Chikka account holder, you will be able to receive and send messages to mobile phone users by using the Chikka Messenger. Registering for your Chikka account from your computer is absolutely free! However, all text messages you send to Chikka’s SMS access codes are charged the regular value-added service rates. For mobile subscribers from the Philippines the VAS rate is as follows:
I’ve registered before. Do I need to register again to use new Chikka Messenger clients? No, you can use your existing Chikka ID for every client version of the Chikka Messenger. However, if you’ve registered for a PC-Only Account before and wish to have a Unified mobile-to-PC Account, you will have to register for a new account. I want to create a new account. Will I lose my buddies in my previous account? You must re-create your buddy list for your new account. However, your old buddy list is preserved on your old account. Can I use my buddy list from another account? Although the buddy list of your other account is preserved, you cannot access it from another account. My mobile carrier is not supported. Can I still register for a Chikka account? Yes, you can still register for a Chikka account by registering for PC-Only Account. I don’t have a mobile phone. Can I still register for a Chikka account? Yes, you can still register for a Chikka account by registering for PC-Only Account. Account Information <Go to Top> What is the required account information? When registering for a Unified Account, you are required to provide your mobile number to be able to successfully register your account. For a PC-Only Account, you will need to provide us with your first name, last name and password. Your email address, age, gender and address are optional fields of information. How can I edit my account information? To edit your account information, launch the Chikka Messenger on your computer. Click on the Profile button, then select on Update My Personal Profile. Edit your information as needed. Your Chikka ID is the number that you use to access your Chikka account. If you’ve signed up for a Unified Account, your Chikka ID is the same as your mobile phone number. If you have a PC-Only Account, your Chikka ID is a combination of digits that begin with 00 (except for India PC-Only Accounts where the Chikka ID begins with 01). Your Chikka ID is the Chikka ID number you are automatically assigned to by the Chikka system, unless you specify an ID number you prefer upon registration. No, you cannot change your Chikka ID. I can’t remember my Password. How can I retrieve it?
Launch the Chikka Messenger client on your PC. On the Log-in window, select Forgot Password and click OK . Follow the steps indicated.
Create a text message. Key in PASSWORD and send it to your corresponding wireless provider:
You will receive a message containing your account details. Launch the Chikka Messenger client on your PC. Click on the Control Panel. Select Options, then click on Change Password. How do I know if my email address has been verified? When you register your email address, you will be sent an email asking you to verify your email address. Click on the link found in the email. This will lead you to a web page confirming that your email address has been verified. How do I change my email address? Launch the Chikka Messenger client on your PC. Click on the Control Panel. Select Profile, then edit the your email address in the appropriate field. Launch the Chikka Messenger client on your PC. Click on the Control Panel. Select Profile, then edit your email address in the appropriate field. An email message will be sent to your new email address with a verification link. Click on the verification link in the email message to confirm your email address change. (If you do not click the verification link, your email address will not be changed.) I don’t want people to be able to search for me. What can I do? To remain unlisted so persons cannot search for you, click on the Control Panel button found on top of the Chikka Messenger, then select Profile. Click on Update Personal Profile and select I want to remain unlisted. What is the difference between a Unified Account and a PC-Only Account? Registering for a Unified Account means that you will be able to use your mobile phone number as your Chikka ID. This makes the Chikka Messenger and your mobile phone virtual extensions of each other. A PC-Only Account allows you to register for a Chikka ID without a mobile phone. Like any Chikka account holder, you will be able to receive and send messages to mobile phone users by using the Chikka Messenger. The Chikka Messenger Client <Go to Top> What are the features of the Chikka Messenger? The Chikka Messenger is the world’s first two-way PC-to-mobile instant messaging. Its features let you send text messages to mobile phones from your PC for free, and vice-versa. See all features. Which Chikka Messenger client should I use? The latest Chikka Messenger is the recommended version as it’s the most enhanced one yet! Get it now How do I download the Chikka Messenger? Get the Chikka Messenger in a few easy steps. Just make sure you have the necessary OS requirements . Download the Chikka Messenger now. What are the operating system requirements needed to install the Chikka Messenger? The minimum system requirements are as follows:
For Macintosh, Linux, Sun, Solaris Users, use Chikka Javalite. How do I install the Chikka Messenger? After downloading the Chikka Messenger client, save the application in your hard drive. Go to the folder where you saved the application. Run the application to start installing Chikka. Help! My OS is not compatible. You can still use the Chikka Messenger by opting for the Chikka Javalite. Launch Chikka Javalite now. Chikka Javalite <Go to Top> Chikka Javalite is an alternative to the Chikka Messenger client. You can run it from any computer with an internet connection. Which operating systems does Chikka Javalite support? It supports Windows (98/ME/NT/2000/XP), MAC, LINUX, SUN, and SOLARIS systems. (For Windows operating systems, we suggest that you use any of the Chikka Messenger clients. The Chikka Javalite won’t run on my computer. For Chikka Javalite to run, Java Runtime Environment should be installed on your computer. Take note that in some systems, you will need to download and install it first. You will need Java Runtime Environment 1.3.x or above. Download Java Runtime Environment now at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/download.html Sending & Receiving Messages <Go to Top> How do I send messages from my PC? If your friend is already in your buddy list. Click on the name of your friend in the buddy list window. Type your message in the window that appears and click Send. If your friend is not yet in your buddy list, click on the Send Message button found on the top of the Chikka Messenger client. Key in your recipient’s Chikka ID/mobile phone number. Type your message in the window that appears and click Send. Your recipient will be added automatically to your buddy list. The “Assign Screen Name” window will also pop-up. Type your buddy’s screen name and click OK . How do I send messages from my mobile phone? Check your list of buddies by texting the appropriate keyword, and then sending it to your corresponding wireless provider.
You will receive a message with the list of your online buddies. Follow the instructions in the text message. You can only send online messages to other registered users of the Chikka Messenger. Also, you can send text messages only to mobile subscribers of Chikka’s supported carriers. How do I send messages to a group of people? To send a message to a group of buddies, select a name from your buddy list. From the pop-up window that appears, click on Group Message. Add other buddies to the list of recipients by selecting their names. After typing in your messages, click on Send. How much am I charged for sending messages? Sending messages from your PC using the Chikka Messenger is totally free of charge. However, applicable value-added service rates apply whenever you send messages to the Chikka Messenger from your mobile phone. For mobile subscribers from the Philippines the VAS rate is as follows:
How do I know if I have received a message on my PC? When a message is received, a message icon will appear beside the name of the buddy who sent you the message. Click on the buddy’s name to view the message. If a message window is open, the message window will blink in the task bar when a message is received. Unread messages will be deleted from your account five days after they are sent. You may also opt to have a message window pop out every time you receive a message. On your Chikka Messenger client, click on the Control Panel button and select Options. Tick the box corresponding to Popup chat window when a message is received. I received a message on my mobile phone from a Chikka user. How do I reply to him? To reply to a message, simply reply with your message and send like any normal SMS message. I received a message on my mobile phone from someone I do not know. What do I do? You may choose to block an unknown sender by replying to the message you received and text BLOCK. Am I charged when I receive messages? Messages received on the Chikka Messenger are free of charge. Mobile subscribers in the Philippines also not charged for receiving messages on their mobile phones. Forwarding Messages <Go to Top> Can I forward my messages to my mobile phone? (for Unified Account Users) Unified Account users may opt to have their messages forwarded to their mobile phones when they are offline. To activate this option, select the Control Panel on the Chikka Messenger client, click on Profile and choose Update My Personal Profile. Scroll down and tick the box corresponding to Forward All My Messages to My Mobile Phone When My PC is Off. How do I forward my messages to my email address? (PC-Only Users) PC-Only Users may opt to have messages forwarded to a verified email address. From the Chikka Messenger client, click on the Options button, then click on Profile. Click on Update My Personal Profile. Tick the box corresponding to Forward All My Messages to My Email Account. How do I know if my email address has been verified? When you register your email address, you will be sent an email asking you to verify your email address. Click on the link found in the email. This will lead you to a web page confirming that your email address has been verified. Sending & Receiving MMS Images <Go to Top> How do I send MMS using the Chikka Messenger? To send an MMS image through your PC using the Chikka Messenger:
Upload the image you wish to send. Enter a short message and click the Send button. How do I send MMS from my mobile phone to a Chikka Messenger client? Create an MMS message on your mobile phone. For Smart mobile users, send it to 277 + <Chikka ID of your friend>. For Globe mobile users, send it 2371. You will receive a text message with a list of your buddies who are online. Reply with the digit that corresponds to the buddy you wish to send an MMS image to. Can I send MMS to any mobile user? Currently, you can only send MMS messages to Philippine mobile subscribers on Smart and Globe. We will soon make the service available to other carriers soon. Can I send an MMS message to just anyone? You can only send MMS to your Chikka buddies. If you want to send an MMS message to someone not in your buddy list, simply add that person to your buddy list and send an MMS message to him/her. How much does it cost to send an MMS message? When sending an MMS message from the PC to a mobile phone, there are two charging options available: The sender may shoulder the transaction; if he chooses not to, the recipient is charged the transaction. Mobile subscribers sending MMS to a PC user are charged P5.00 per MMS that is sent. However, when a user chooses to send an MMS message to himself, he will shoulder the P2.50 charge. How much does it cost to receive an MMS message? MMS messages received through the Chikka Messenger are free of charge unless the sender chooses for the recipient to shoulder the cost. There are two charging options available. The sender chooses if he or his recipient will be charged the transaction. When your Chikka PC buddy sends an MMS message to your mobile phone, you will receive a text message informing you of the transaction and asking you if you’d like to receive the MMS image. When you reply with YES, you are charged P2.50. Do I need to use a special kind of Chikka Messenger client to be able to send MMS? You need to be using a Chikka Messenger client version that is MMS-enabled. Download the recommended version. Is there a specific kind of mobile phone that can receive MMS from Chikka? All MMS-enabled phones can receive MMS from Chikka Messenger. What happens if someone sends me an MMS message and my phone is not MMS-enabled? You will get a system message that will inform you that someone is sending you an MMS but you will not receive the MMS. Message Credits <Go to Top> How many message credits do I have? Messages sent from PC to PC are unlimited and free. However, a PC user is given limited credits for sending messages from the PC to mobile phones. The daily message credit allocation depends on the wireless provider of your recipients:
Credits not used during the day are not carried over to the next day. You can check how many message credits you have left. Click on the Control Panel button on your Chikka Messenger client and select Options. Click on Show Available Credit. I have no more message credit. What do I do? You can wait for a mobile user to reply to your message so that you’ll regain a credit. Otherwise, you can wait 24 hours from the first time your account was active for the day to receive your daily message credits. How can I check for my remaining message credits? From your Chikka Messenger client, click on the Control Panelbutton and select Options. Click on Show Available Credits. How many MMS messages can I send daily? The daily message credit allocation depends on the wireless provider of your recipients:
Managing Messages on the Chikka Messenger <Go to Top> To activate your Message Archive, go to the Control Panel and select Profile. Click on Update My Personal Profile. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and select on Save Last 20 Inbox/Outbox Messages. Click on the Update button when done. How do I delete the messages stored in my Inbox/Outbox? There is currently no direct way to delete your messages. However, messages are automatically deleted once new incoming and outgoing messages are received and sent. Also, your messages are deleted from your Inbox and Outbox every time you log out from the Chikka Messenger client. How can I view a message sent to me? When a message is received, a message icon will appear beside the buddy’s name that sent you the message. Click on the buddy’s name to view the message. Unread messages will be deleted from your account five days after they are sent. Can I see the message right away once it’s sent to me? You may opt for a Pop Up Chat Window to appear every time a message is sent to you. To activate this option, click on the Control Panel, select Options then choose Preferences. Select the appropriate choice and click on OK. Managing Alerts <Go to Top> PC-Only Account users have the option to send online alerts. This is an automatic SMS alert function sends a message out to your selected buddies when you go online on the PC. This option is for PC-Only Accounts. Hows do I switch the online alerts on/off? From the Chikka Messenger client, select Options then click on Manage Online Alerts. This option is for PC-Only Accounts. Who will receive my online alerts? Online alerts are received by your buddies on their mobile phones. You can send the online alerts to a maximum of 10 buddies. This option is for PC-Only Accounts. Why am I receiving alerts on my mobile phone? You are receiving an online alert sent by your buddy in the hopes that you may want to respond with a message. Online alerts let you know that your buddy is online. How do I stop receiving online alerts? Reply to the SMS message and text OFF when you receive an online alert from a buddy. Status and Availability <Go to Top> How do I know if my friend is online using the Chikka Messenger? The buddy list window in the Chikka Messenger is separated into two: Online and Idle. If the name of your friend is on the Online portion, then that means your friend is either online on his computer, on his mobile phone, or both. How do I know who are online using my mobile phone? Check your list of buddies by texting the appropriate keyword, and then sending it to your corresponding wireless provider.
Can I send a message to a friend who is away? Yes, but only friends with Unified PC-to-mobile Accounts will receive your message immediately on their mobile phones. If your friend is using a PC Only Account, your message will be received the next time your friend goes online. Can I make myself invisible to others? Yes, from the Chikka Messenger client, select Appear Idle Mode found in the drop-down list at the bottom. Buddies <Go to Top> How can I add someone as my buddy from the PC? Click on the Send Message button found on top of the Chikka Messenger client. Specify the Chikka ID or mobile phone number of your friend and send a message. Your friend will automatically become your buddy unless he decides to “block” you from sending him more messages. How can I add someone as my buddy from my mobile phone? Create a text message. Key in ADD <mobile number>, and send to your corresponding wireless provider:
Is there a way for me to search for someone? You can search for a friend on the Chikka database to add to you buddy list. From the Control Panel, select Invite, then click on Search for a Registered User. Fill in at least on of the following fields: Chikka ID, Email, First Name, or Last Name and click on Search. A list of registered users will appear. Locate your buddy in the list and add him to you buddy list by sending a message. You can narrow your search by providing by filling up the search fields. From the buddy list window on the Chikka Messenger client, right-click on the name of your person you wish to delete and select the option that reads Delete Friend. Upon deletion of a buddy, your screen name will also be deleted from the target buddy’s Chikka Messenger client buddy list. No sound, alert or message will be received to inform him of this action. A 200-buddy limit is applied for each Chikka account. This includes both mobile and PC buddies. How do I change my buddy’s screen name? Click once the name of your buddy and press F2. Or, from the buddy list window on the Chikka Messenger client, right-click on the name of your buddy. Select the option that reads Change Screen Name. What happens to my buddies when I upload a higher version of Chikka Messenger? As long as you use the same Chikka ID and password, your buddy list will be retained. There is no need to re-invite your buddies each time you change your Chikka Messenger client versions. Blocking and Unblocking <Go to Top> How do I block messages using my PC? From the buddy list in your Chikka Messenger, right-click on the name of the person whose messages you want to block. Select the option Block This Person. How do I block messages using my mobile phone? When someone adds you to his buddy list for the first time, you can easily block the sender by replying to the text message with the keyword BLOCK. Otherwise, create a text message and key in BLOCK <Chikka ID> then send it to your corresponding short code:
How do I unblock someone using my PC? From the buddy list in your Chikka Messenger, right-click on the name of the person whose messages you want to block. Select the option Unblock This Person. How do I unblock someone using my mobile phone? To unblock someone, create a text message and key in UNBLOCK <Chikka ID> then send it to your corresponding short code:
Sending Airtime Credit through the Chikka Messenger <Go to Top> Which networks are supported by the Chikka Top-up Messenger? The Chikka Top-Up Messenger can send load credits to Philippine mobile subscribers on Smart, Globe and Sun Cellular. More mobile carriers to follow soon. What do I need to be able to send load to a mobile user? To be able to send load, you need to use the Chikka Top-up Messenger and a Paypal account. How will I pay for the load I send? You can pay for the load using Paypal. You can use your credit card or bank account to fund your Paypal. How do I get a Paypal account? To get a Paypal account, just click here to register. Will the recipient know if the load is from me? Yes. They will receive a confirmation message from us informing them of the amount of load sent and the sender info (your Chikka ID or mobile number). How will I know if the load is sent? You will receive an email in your Paypal registered email address to confirm successful sending of load. Do I have to buy send load credits every time I wish to send load? Not necessarily. You can buy load credits in the amounts of $10, $25, $50, and $100. The amounts you can send are: 99 ¢, $4.99, and $9.99. The remaining balance can be used for your next transaction. Chikka Messenger Upgrades <Go to Top> Where can I find the latest version of Chikka? Click here for the latest and recommended version of the Chikka Messenger. What happens to my buddies when I upload a higher version of Chikka Messenger? As long as you use the same Chikka ID and password, your buddy list will be retained. There is no need to re-invite your buddies each time you change your Chikka Messenger client versions. Yes. While installing the new version, the installer will automatically prompt you to uninstall the version that you are currently using. You can also manually uninstall your old client application from your computer. For MS Windows users, go to the Start Menu, go to Programs, look for Chikka, then click on Uninstall. How will I know if there is an update? Each time you login the client, a window will pop up with information if there is an update. If you accidentally closed this window, simply go to HELP-Updates and click "Show Updates". For Critical Updates, updates are automatically downloaded and installed upon log-in. How do I manually update my Chikka Messenger? Go to HELP- Updates and click the "Update now!" button. You will be disconnected. A loading window will pop up where you will see the status of your update. When the update is finished, the login widow will pop up so you can continue using Chikka Messenger. Billable Charges <Go to Top> Registering for your Chikka account from your computer is absolutely free! However, all text messages you send to Chikka’s SMS access codes are charged the regular value-added service rates. For mobile subscribers from the Philippines the VAS rate is as follows:
How much am I charged for sending messages? Sending messages from your PC using the Chikka Messenger is totally free of charge. However, applicable value-added service rates apply whenever you send messages to the Chikka Messenger from your mobile phone. For mobile subscribers from the Philippines the VAS rate is as follows:
Am I charged when I receive messages? Messages received on the Chikka Messenger are free of charge. Mobile subscribers in the Philippines also not charged for receiving messages on their mobile phones. How much does it cost to send an MMS message? When sending an MMS message from the PC to a mobile phone, there are two charging options available: The sender may shoulder the transaction; if he chooses not to, the recipient is charged the transaction. Mobile subscribers sending MMS to a PC user are charged P5.00 per MMS that is sent. Similarly, when a user chooses to send an MMS message to himself, he will shoulder the P2.50 charge. How much does it cost to receive an MMS message? MMS messages received through the Chikka Messenger are free of charge unless the sender chooses for the recipient to shoulder the cost. There are two charging options available. The sender chooses if he or his recipient will be charged the transaction. When your Chikka PC buddy sends an MMS message to your mobile phone, you will receive a text message informing you of the transaction and asking you if you’d like to receive the MMS image. When you reply with YES, you are charged P2.50. Supported Carriers <Go to Top> What are the carriers supported by the Chikka Messenger? Currently, the Chikka Messenger is supported by carriers from the Philippines, Japan, Guam, Saipan, Thailand, India, UK and the US. In the Philippines, the Chikka Messenger connects to the following:
How do I send a Unicode message? You will need a 3rd party software if your Windows language pack is not installed, like NJStar Communicator. Just type any message you want and it should be displayed properly in your Chikka. Can I send Unicode messages to mobile phones? Yes you can but some operators might not support Unicode so your message will not be displayed properly when the mobile recipient receives the message in their mobile handset. |
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