Send a Text Message to Cell Phones from Your E-Mail

Overview
Cellular carriers provide a service that many people are unaware of the ability to send e-mail to a cell phone. In other words, this is how to send a text message from e-mail. Carriers assign an e-mail address to each phone number utilizing a format that is specific to each carrier. Using this format you can compose e-mail or text messages with Microsoft Outlook, Yahoo Mail, AOL, Gmail or other e-mail programs and easily send your e-mail message to the cell phone of a person or a group of people.

Send E-mail to Cell Phone Benefits

E-mail to text functionality may appeal to someone who does not have a full QWERTY keyboard on their phone but is frequently in front of a computer. Typing on a standard keyboard and sending a message from an e-mail program can have some efficiency pluses over many mobile phones. Using e-mail to reach mobile phones is also great for people who need to send text messages to a group of people. With an e-mail program you can quickly type your 160 character message, add multiple recipients for the message and quickly reach a group of people via a text message. An added benefit with email to text is that e-mail messages sent to a phone also generate an easy to recall record of the message in the e-mail Sent Items folder. There is no special add-on or plug-in required for the sender but any message recipient will need to have text messaging enabled on their phone. Text messages are limited to a 160 character maximum so if you are using a signature block in your e-mail be sure to remove it from your message. Phones only support plain text messages and many people send e-mail messages in HTML format. This is not a problem as the carriers automatically convert messages to plain text. Normal text messaging rates will apply to people who receive e-mail messages. Recipients can respond just like they would to a standard text message from another mobile phone.

How To Send A Text Message From E-mail

1. Determine the cell phone provider of the person you want to text. Use http://www.fonefinder.net/ or http://www.peoplefinders.com/phone/?phone=507213 to determine the carrier. Enter the number and click on search. The Carrier will be listed in the results. Then select the extension for the carrier from the list below, or see http://www.emailtextmessages.com/ or search Yahoo for email to SMS. Here are some common Owatonna area cellular carrier number prefixes and extensions: 507-213-1xxx 507-213-3xxx 507-213-6xxx 507-213-7xxx 507-213-8xxx cellnumber@tmomail.net T-Mobile

cellnumber@txt.att.net cellnumber@txt.att.net or cellnumber@vtext.com cellnumber@vtext.com cellnumber@vmobl.com cellnumber@messaging.sprintpcs.com

AT&T Affiliates AT&T or Verizon Affiliates (try att first; then vtext) Verizon Affiliates Virgin Mobile (Sprint affiliate) Sprint Affiliates

507-330-5xxx 507-363-0xxx 507-363-2xxx and 507-363-9xxx

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507-390-0xxx and 507-390-4xxx 507-456-0xxx 507-456-1xxx 507-456-2xxx 507-456-3xxx 507-456-4xxx 507-456-5xxx 507-456-6xxx 507-456-7xxx 507-456-8xxx 507-475-0xxx 507-573-2xxx 507-676-0xxx 507-676-1xxx 507-676-4xxx 507-676-5xxx

cellnumber@vtext.com cellnumber@vtext.com

Western Wireless (Verizon affiliate) Verizon Affiliates

cellnumber@vtext.com cellnumber@txt.att.net cellnumber@vtext.com

Verizon Affliates Level 3 Comm (AT&T affiliate) Cellco Partnership (Verizon affiliate)

o o o o o o o o o

Alltel cellnumber@message.alltel.com AT&T & Affiliates (Aerial Communications, Cingular, Level 3 Comm, Eschelon Telecom, Tracfone) -- cellnumber@txt.att.net Boost - cellnumber@myboostmobile.com Nextel - cellnumber@messaging.nextel.com Sprint PCS - cellnumber@messaging.sprintpcs.com T-Mobile cellnumber@tmomail.net US Cellular cellnumber@email.uscc.net Verizon & Affiliates (Cellco, Midwest Wireless, Western Wireless) cellnumber@vtext.com Virgin Mobile (Sprint affiliate) cellnumber@vmobl.com

As an example, to send e-mail to a cell phone with a Verizon account you would use the @vtext.com extension in the e-mail address. The e-mail address would look something like 5074561234@vtext.com. Sometimes there is a bit of guessing involved and trial and error. If users kept an old phone number when they switched providers, then the extension may not align as indicated. You can always ask them who their mobile carrier is so you get it right. 2. Open your e-mail and start a new message. In the To field, use the phone number and extension determined in Step 1. 3. Enter your subject in the subject line if you wish (subject line is optional) and compose your text message in the body of your message. Keep your message short! Most cell phones can only display 160 characters (includes subject text). 4. Send your e-mail after composing your message and thats it!

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