# Text notifications for a subscribed thread? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 7, 2019, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849 "2019-09-07T18:57:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849/1 "2019-09-07T18:57:25Z")
I don’t know at all how the board software works, but would it be possible to program it to allow an instant notification by text for subscribed threads? Right now, I pick instant email notification when I subscribe to a thread, instant text notification would be much better, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849/2 "2019-09-07T19:12:37Z")
First avatars and now you want texting? This board is geared way too much towards teenagers. Not everything has to be about millennials. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849/3 "2019-09-07T19:51:43Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > First avatars and now you want texting? This board is geared way too much towards teenagers. Not everything has to be about millennials. I know you’re trying to make some sort of joke, but don’t threadshit. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849/4 "2019-09-07T19:54:38Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I don’t know at all how the board software works, but would it be possible to program it to allow an instant notification by text for subscribed threads? Right now, I pick instant email notification when I subscribe to a thread, instant text notification would be much better, in my opinion. Our software currently is not set up for texting. I do not expect this to change at any time in the near future. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849/5 "2019-09-08T04:16:39Z")
Someone familiar with programming should be able to figure out a way to do this. Can someone here figure this out for the OP? From my reading it looks like the following would work: It looks like the cell phone companies offer email to text facilities: > **[How to Send a Text From Email Using iPhone, Verizon & More | Digital Trends](https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-send-a-text-from-your-email-account/)** > > Find yourself needing to send a text but don't have your phone on you? Learn how to send texts from your email account using any carrier by following our guide. For example suppose you have a Sprint account: > [@](#): > > Sprint’s wireless service includes a contact address that enables you to access the text message service using an email address based on the recipient’s phone number. > > 1. Create a new mail message and fill out the message body with the content of the text message. > > 2. Count the characters in the final message to be sure the total is under 160 characters. The Sprint network will display only the first 160 characters of a text message, as that’s all the system supports. > > 3. Address the mail message to the recipient’s phone number in the Sprint PCS messaging format. The email address should be the 10-digit number at the domain “[messaging.sprintpcs.com](http://messaging.sprintpcs.com).” For example, if the number is 123-456-7890, the email address would be [1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com](mailto:1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com). Send the message. > **[How to Send Text Messages Via Email to Sprint Customers](https://smallbusiness.chron.com/send-text-messages-via-email-sprint-customers-53286.html)** > > If your wireless contract includes an extra fee for text messages, use your regular email account instead to keep in touch with your friends on the Sprint network. Sprint's wireless service includes a contact address that enables you to access the... So it looks like if the OP were to change his email address at Straight Dope from something like [dalej@gmail.com](mailto:dalej@gmail.com) to [1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com](mailto:1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com) then the first 160 characters of the email message that Straight Dope sends out would be texted to his phone. Anyone want to test this? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849/6 "2019-09-08T18:03:29Z")
Yeah, that works. I’ve done it before to send my wife a text when I forgot my own phone, and done it to send links to my phone. For AT&T, it’s your number @mms.att.net ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849/7 "2019-09-08T20:09:51Z")
Assuming it still works, it looks like you can use Google Docs (specifically calendar) to send SMS messages to your phone for certain emails. You might play around with [this](http://techawakening.org/free-sms-alerts-new-email-on-gmail-with-google-docs/1130/) to roll your own SMS notification system. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849/8 "2019-09-08T21:30:19Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > From my reading it looks like the following would work: It looks like the cell phone companies offer email to text facilities: > [https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-send-a-text-from-your-email-account/](https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-send-a-text-from-your-email-account/) > > For example suppose you have a Sprint account: > > [How to Send Text Messages Via Email to Sprint Customers | Small Business - Chron.com](https://smallbusiness.chron.com/send-text-messages-via-email-sprint-customers-53286.html) > > So it looks like if the OP were to change his email address at Straight Dope from something like [dalej@gmail.com](mailto:dalej@gmail.com) to [1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com](mailto:1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com) then the first 160 characters of the email message that Straight Dope sends out would be texted to his phone. > > Anyone want to test this? I’d give you a Like if there was a Like button. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-notifications-for-a-subscribed-thread/839849/9 "2019-09-09T20:46:23Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > So it looks like if the OP were to change his email address at Straight Dope from something like [dalej@gmail.com](mailto:dalej@gmail.com) to [1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com](mailto:1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com) then the first 160 characters of the email message that Straight Dope sends out would be texted to his phone. > > Anyone want to test this? What might break with a 160 character limited message? If you’re subscribed to multiple threads would you know which one updated in the first 160 chara? You wouldn’t get all of a PM notification message but not a big deal as you could just go onto the board to read the message. What about password resets; does it give you a link to reset your password if necessary & if so is that link w/in the first 160 chara?