Can I text from an iPhone 3G with no service?

[pdqgp]

I'm looking for the best FREE way for my son to use his 3G to text either his mom or me. Can this be done easily? His phone has a sim card but no service attached to it.

He and the device will have wifi access so I'm wondering what's the best app to use to communicate via messaging. I know email is one option, but what else?

Thoughts/insight appreciated.

Yahoo messenger?

 

[Dangerous Theory]

Live profile

 

[Armeniandave]

I used ping chat for awhile and it worked good.
There are tons of messaging apps on the App store
that are free or a few bucks.

 

[wordoflife]

Google Voice

 

[mofunk]

AIM Chat

 

[awadeee]

Whatsapp?

 

[Applejuiced]

iMessage?

 

[Blazing angel]

iMessage?

It's a iphone 3g

 

[wordoflife]

iMessage?

lol
(read above)

 

[pdqgp]

Whatsapp?

I do have that application. Do you know if I can use them with only a Wi-Fi connection? Again this particular phone does not have service through AT&T.

 

[Applejuiced]

lol
(read above)

Oops, I'm blind

 

[Young Spade]

Google Voice

Definitely google Voice.

 

[trek360]

check out 'textfree with voice' app. will work with wifi. reliable. option to send a copy of all texts to email is a nice backup.

 

[Breezygirl]

For a while we used Facebook, set it up so you both get notifications of messages. It worked well, just like texting.