Voice messaging service Pinger no longer requires recipients to be pinger members in order to listen to messages on their mobile phones. Instead, upon receiving messages from Pinger users, recipients will be prompted by a text message to click and call a local number to hear the message. Previously non-members were emailed Pinger messages. Sending messages out and managing contact lists will still be reserved for Pinger members, however.

Pinger’s normal service is meant as an alternative to text messaging, letting users send voice messages to each other without ringing the recipients phone, waiting, or difficulty of typing while on the go. All a user has to do is call into their Pinger number, say the name of the recipient or recipients (for group messages), and leave a voice message in their Pinger mailbox. Pinger members are then notified of the message by text, prompting them to click through and listen to the message, to which they can immediately reply by another Pinger message.

Pinger is rumored to be backed by a total of $11 million including financing from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and DAG Ventures.