# Sending emails as text messages
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 19, 2007, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563 "2007-12-19T12:29:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/1 "2007-12-19T12:29:10Z")
Can’t figure this out and perhaps a few Dopers can deliver the goods.
I’m on Verizon. If I wish to send a text message by using my email, I can do so. I can sit at my computer and write a message to, say, 917-555-1212 @ [vtext.com](http://vtext.com) .
The " @vtext.com " is Verizon’s way of allowing emails to flow to a cellular phone as an SMS Text Message on their network. Similarly, a recipient can reply straight to an email address. Quite nice.
Are there similar plans in place for the other cellular providers in the United States and if so, does anyone know what they are?
Cartooniverse
\*\*Mods- this kind of feels like a poll, though I seek hard answers to a straight forward question. If you need to slide this to IMHO, that’s cool. \*\*
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/2 "2007-12-19T13:27:09Z")
Yes there are. All cell phone providers have a method to feed emails into SMS. They’re called “SMS email Domains”.
For example, for Sprint it’s @messaging.sprintpcs.com. (among others).
In the past, the email domain name was readily shown on their websites, usually along with a web-based form to send SMSs.
As more & more phones become browser (not SMS) capable, they realised that they could either collect revenue from users text messaging, or give it away free when phone users used web based email to launch SMSes to each other. So they’ve pretty much stopped publicizing the domain names.
Here [http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/CGB/DomainNames/DomainNames.txt](http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/CGB/DomainNames/DomainNames.txt) is an official list of all the SMS domain names. The FCC requires the carriers to register them so that people will know not to send SPAM there. Yeah, right …
Interestingly enough, I was not able to locate any link on the FCC site which points to that list. So it too appears to be deemphasized, although keeping it up to date is still a regulatory requirement.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/3 "2007-12-19T13:33:35Z")
Missed Edit window …
What there is NOT is a good way to know which domain connects to any given phone number. Some carriers have multiple domains (such as after mergers), and may or may not combine all their domains behind the scenes.
Made up example: AT&T bought SWB in 2004. Current AT&T accounts which started out as SWB accounts still get SMSs from [1234567890@SWB.com](mailto:1234567890@SWB.com), but won’t get messages sent to [1234567890@text.att.com](mailto:1234567890@text.att.com) even though the phone’s owner thinks they have an AT&T phone & pay an AT&T bill every month…
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### Author:  [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/4 "2007-12-19T14:39:45Z")
Very very nice. Thanks for this info, guys.
ATT works with both these addresses: [1234567890@txt.att.net](mailto:1234567890@txt.att.net) and [1234567890@text.att.net](mailto:1234567890@text.att.net)
To test, I sent a text message to my ATT Gophone (prepaid, not monthly bill) from my computer. The phone rang right away. When I opened the phone, but before opening the text message, my phone told me I was charged $0.15 for that last transaction.
Is this normal with text messages (which I am not familiar with) – to get charged before opening them?
_After_ opening and reading the messages there was no further charge.
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### Author:  [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/5 "2007-12-19T14:44:19Z")
[QUOTE=Mark Ryle]
Very very nice. Thanks for this info, guys.
Is this normal with text messages (which I am not familiar with) – to get charged before opening them?
[/QUOTE]
Yes. Your phone downloads the message from the tower automatically. You’re charged for receiving the message, not for reading it, and as far as I know there is no method to refuse a message and not be charged for it.
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### Author:  [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/6 "2007-12-19T14:50:23Z")
[QUOTE=aktep]
Yes. Your phone downloads the message from the tower automatically. You’re charged for receiving the message, not for reading it, and as far as I know there is no method to refuse a message and not be charged for it.
[/QUOTE]
In addition to the $0.15 charge for receiving each of the two text messages, there will be the $1.00 Daily Access Fee tacked on tommorow for using the phone at all. Expensive experiment. But I’m very glad to know about this capability. I was charged for receiving, not sending, as I understand it. Means I can send for free.
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### Author:  [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/7 "2007-12-19T14:52:33Z")
You could move to Europe. We don’t get charged for receiving things. (except some premium content)
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### Author:  [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/8 "2007-12-19T14:55:01Z")
[QUOTE=aktep]
You’re charged for receiving the message, not for reading it, and as far as I know there is no method to refuse a message and not be charged for it.
[/QUOTE]
So what’s to prevent someone malicious repeatedly sending you text messages from their computer and landing you with a huge bill?
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### Author:  [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/9 "2007-12-19T14:59:42Z")
[QUOTE=Struan]
So what’s to prevent someone malicious repeatedly sending you text messages from their computer and landing you with a huge bill?
[/QUOTE]
Pretty much nothing. ☹
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### Author:  [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/10 "2007-12-19T15:47:25Z")
[QUOTE=Mark Ryle]
ATT works with both these addresses: [1234567890@txt.att.net](mailto:1234567890@txt.att.net) and [1234567890@text.att.net](mailto:1234567890@text.att.net)
[/QUOTE]
AT&T also bought Cingular and so the convention of [123456789@mobile.mycingular.com](mailto:123456789@mobile.mycingular.com) also still works.
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### Author:  [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/11 "2007-12-19T16:02:10Z")
So, does the format have to be 9 or 10 number, and are dashes necessary?
[215-555-1234@mobile.mycingular.com](mailto:215-555-1234@mobile.mycingular.com)
or
[2155551234@mobile.my.cingular.com](mailto:2155551234@mobile.my.cingular.com)
or…something else?
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### Author:  [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/12 "2007-12-19T16:10:11Z")
[QUOTE=Philster]
So, does the format have to be 9 or 10 number, and are dashes necessary?
[215-555-1234@mobile.mycingular.com](mailto:215-555-1234@mobile.mycingular.com)
or
[2155551234@mobile.my.cingular.com](mailto:2155551234@mobile.my.cingular.com)
or…something else?
[/QUOTE]
Sorry, fake numbers are hard to well, fake. It’s the full 10 digit number, so (123) 456-7890 becomes [1234567890@mobile.mycingular.com](mailto:1234567890@mobile.mycingular.com).
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### Author:  [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/13 "2007-12-19T17:09:24Z")
[QUOTE=Struan]
So what’s to prevent someone malicious repeatedly sending you text messages from their computer and landing you with a huge bill?
[/QUOTE]
Ah the diabolical txt scam. Used by angry spouses to get back at their SO’s for years now. I have had to deal with this all the time.
In essence nothing stops someone from send you 1000’s of txt and you getting charged for each one. It is a vicious way for some one to attack you. If some thing like this was to happen you would need to go to your provider (I would suggest in person not over the phone) and explain what is going on. You would need to change your number and then file a police report. Once they got a police report they should clear your txt balance. (at least this is the way it worked for the past 3 companies I managed for – AT&T / Cingular, US Cellular and T-mobile) If that doesn’t work or you can’t for some reason change your number, all of the carriers have an unlimited txting package for about 15 bucks a month. It’s not a perfect solution but it beats a $500 bill.
I know that wasn’t the OP’s question and I’m sorry for the hijack but I get asked this question all the time.
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### Author:  [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/14 "2007-12-19T22:11:05Z")
[QUOTE=Cartooniverse]
I’m on Verizon. If I wish to send a text message by using my email, I can do so. I can sit at my computer and write a message to, say, 917-555-1212 @ [vtext.com](http://vtext.com) .
The " @vtext.com " is Verizon’s way of allowing emails to flow to a cellular phone as an SMS Text Message on their network. Similarly, a recipient can reply straight to an email address. Quite nice.
[/QUOTE]
I’m having trouble with what I put in red:
I open and view the text message which I sent to my phone from my email. From “Options,” I say “OK” to “Reply.” Then I “Write New” message. Then from “Options” I “Select” “Send Only” (or “Save and Send”). The phone displays “Sending Please Wait” and then “Message Sent.”
But I never receive the message as an email on my computer. I have also tried writing a new text message and entering my email address as the “Destination.” The phone limits the number of characters I can enter in “Destination” – won’t let me type in the whole email address. Am I going wrong somewhere?
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### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/15 "2007-12-19T22:30:41Z")
[QUOTE=Mark Ryle]
But I never receive the message as an email on my computer. I have also tried writing a new text message and entering my email address as the “Destination.” The phone limits the number of characters I can enter in “Destination” – won’t let me type in the whole email address. Am I going wrong somewhere?
[/QUOTE]
From what I understand, you can’t always reply to an email text from a phone. The reason being that some mobile carriers consider replying to an email a _date_ feature, not a normal phone feature, so unless you have a data plan (which is usually just used for PDA Phones) then you probably can’t reply to it.
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### Author:  [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/16 "2007-12-19T22:33:35Z")
Yeah, the only reason I can do some of the nifty things I’ve learned how do to (i.e. access my Gmail account from my AT&T RAZR phone) is because we pay for the top notch data package plan.
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### Author:  [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2007, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/17 "2007-12-20T00:03:02Z")
Thanks **bouv** and **Cluricaun** – that makes sense.
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### Author:  [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)
#### Post date: [August 30, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/18 "2025-08-30T23:21:38Z")
I was about to start a new thread and I was led to this zombie. So will revive this one. Surely things have changed in 18 years.
My sister does not use email. While I can text her I am very slow preparing text messages on my phone, while reasonably fast composing emails. So is there an easy way to do this?
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### Author:  [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2025, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/19 "2025-08-31T00:15:21Z")
I use Google Messages as my SMS app on my phone and Google Messages for Web on my PC. So I can type SMS messages while sitting at my PC and they are sent from the synced phone account.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2025, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563/20 "2025-08-31T00:24:25Z")
As of a couple of months ago, ATT shut down its email to text and text to email services. I believe most other carriers have also shut down their such services.
[Cite](https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1061254/).
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-emails-as-text-messages/430563.md?page=2)