If you’re all thumbs (or should that be no thumbs?), there’s an easier way to send text messages to your friends and family than pressing those tiny numeric buttons on your cell phone key pad. Now you can send text messages by using the email program on your computer.
The catch (and there always is one)
To send text messages via email, you must first know the cell phone carrier of the person you want to text. It is easy to find out the name of someone’s cell phone carrier just by asking them. Chances are you already know the carriers of several of your frequent contacts since people love to rave (occasionally) or complain (more likely) about their cell phone carriers.
Once you know the name of your contact’s cell phone carrier, all you have to do is type in the 10-digit phone number of that person followed by the @ sign and the text message email address of their carrier. For instance, since I am a T-Mobile customer, my text message email address would be [email protected]. (Of course that is not my actual cell phone number. Did you think I would post that on the Internet?).
A partial list of email addresses for cell phone carriers can be found at the end of this article.
So, how much does texting by email cost?
Sending text messages by email is free. Receiving text messages that are sent by email is also free, provided the receiver’s cell phone plan includes unlimited text messages. Otherwise, usual highway robbery charges apply. As always, do not send text messages to those 17 people left on earth who still pay for text messages unless your message is uber important or you want to tick that person off.
How do I receive replies to text messages sent by email?
When you send a text message by email the reply will magically appear on your cell phone. (Just kidding. Cell phones may be smart these days, but they are still too dumb to psychically infer your cell phone number from your email address.) As logic would dictate, the reply to your text message will show up in your email Inbox.
No excuse not to text anymore
Unless you enjoy your identity as a Fred or Wilma Flinstone or view sending text messages as too complicated, there’s no excuse not to send text messages any more. When you send an email message, people who still do not receive email on their cell phones (and, yes, I am one of those) may not receive your email until later in the day. Sending a text increases the chances they will receive your message in a timely manner, making it a superior method for transmitting time-sensitive information without having to actually talk to the person. Plus, if you have a reputation as a Luddite, your friends and family will be amazed that you figured out how to text them by email.
Text message email addresses of cell phone carriers
T-Mobile: [email protected]
Virgin Mobile: [email protected]
Cingular: [email protected]
Sprint: [email protected]
Verizon: [email protected]
Nextel: [email protected]
US Cellular: [email protected]
SunCom: [email protected]
Powertel: [email protected]
AT&T;: [email protected]
Alltel: [email protected]
Metro PCS: [email protected]
For more articles by this writer, click here.
Sources:
personal experience
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