UK-based mobile operator Vodafone began trialling an interesting service this week, one which enables any UK mobile user to send text messages from Facebook.

Vodafone Connect to Friends is a Facebook plugin which allows users to send text and picture messages from their PC or laptop to anyone, even non-Facebook users. The smart thing is, it’s also accessible to any user, even those not on the Vodafone network.

As Disruptive Analysis’s Dean Bubley notes: “It’s really pretty clever, as it allows you to use the UK operators’ PayForIt system to charge to your own non-Vodafone mobile account. So as I use O2 for my personal device, but Voda provides my Facebook interface, charges me money for SMS credits, but gets the cash by using O2 as a billing channel. Given the pricing points, both operators make money, O2 retains my billing relationship, but Voda “owns” my Facebook Mobile user experience.”

The cost of sending text and picture messages via the app is £0.10 per text and £0.30 per picture message. It also works overseas and inserts a user’s phone number as the ‘Reply to’ contact.