Unconvinced as to the power of SMS? Well, in an instant, mobile messaging company Mobile Accord could send a mass text message that could reach people in 205 countries, said president Steve Gutterman — the only exception is North Korea.

In places where there is no fiber or landlines of any sort, no access to internet, PCs or even wireline phones, there are still mobile phones and they’re all capable of sending and receiving the lowly SMS message. That’s a very powerful tool that can be used for research, commerce, banking, even economic development.

Mobile Accord, the Denver-based company behind SMS-charitable giving organization mGive, has launched a new venture called GeoPoll, which aims to use SMS to research the tastes and opinions of billions of people unreachable through other communications channels. GeoPoll performs these surveys for the benefit of non-profits, international organizations like the U.N., and commercial businesses alike…