How to send a text message from email

Unlimited text messages is one of the features that you are likely to get from your mobile carrier, but not everyone has this option available. In some cases, there are restrictions on the amount of texts that can be sent, or maybe you don’t have your phone with you and need to send a text urgently. Thankfully, it is possible to send a text message using your email address and most providers support this option. This functionality is called SMS gateway and while it is not new, many people don’t know about it.

SMS gateway

SMS stands for Simple Message Service and it is a way of communication that supports text messages between devices. You can send SMS text messages using your mobile phone and your provider’s network and other people can send you messages, using the SMS network of their mobile carrier. Messages can be transmitted in and out of the mobile provider’s SMS system thanks to the SMS gateway. It is also possible to send emails to the mobile cattier’s SMS gateway so that they can be delivered as SMS text messages.

How to send an SMS text message from an email

In order to send text messages using your email, you need to know the email address for the SMS gateway. With that information, you will be able to ensure that the message composed and sent via email is delivered as an SMS text. You can find the SMS gateway address on the website of the mobile carrier. Here is a list of SMS gateway addresses of US providers.

• AT&T: number@txt.att.net
• T-Mobile: number@tmomail.net
• Verizon: number@vtext.com
• Virgin Mobile: number@vmobl.com
• Boost Mobile: number@myboostmobile.com
• AllTel: number@message.alltel.com
• Qwest: number@qwestmp.com
• Nextel: number@messaging.nextel.com
• Sprint: number@messaging.sprintpcs.com
• Nextel: number@messaging.nextel.com
• Cricket: number@sms.mycricket.com
• U.S Cellular: number@email.uscc.net
• Tracfone: number@mmst5.tracfone.com

Make sure that you enter the recipient’s phone number and the email address of their mobile carrier when you address the email. Let’s say that you want to send an email as text to someone who uses Verizon (SMS gateway address is number@vtext.com), in that case, you would replace “number” with the 10-digit phone number of the recipient. So it would look like this: 0123456789@vtext.com. Just enter the number without any spaces, dashes or other symbols.

If you want to send a message that includes a video, photo or any other multimedia file, you may need to check if the provider has a separate gateway address for MMS messages. MMS messages are likely to be longer than the 160 character limit of an SMS message. Before including pictures, videos or audio tracks in the email, confirm is there is a different address for MMS messages. Once your message is received, the other person can respond from their mobile phone just as if it was a standard text message. Their response will be sent to the email address you used to send the original message. In some cases, the response would be received as a blank email with a text file attached. Once you open this attachment, you will be able to read the message.