The Role of SMS Gateways

Sending text messages through email is made possible by carriers’ SMS gateways. These gateways act as specialized email servers designed to bridge the gap between traditional email protocols and the cellular SMS (Short Message Service) system. The gateway receives your carefully formatted email, recognizes the phone number and carrier, and converts the email content into a standard SMS message for delivery to the recipient’s phone.

The Conversion Process

Behind the scenes, several steps occur when you send an SMS via email. First, your email client sends your message to the carrier’s SMS gateway using standard email protocols. The gateway interprets the “To” address, extracting the phone number and the carrier’s domain. It then strips away unnecessary email headers and formatting, leaving just the plain text of your message. Finally, the gateway repackages this text into the SMS format and pushes it over the cellular network to be delivered as a text message on the recipient’s device.

USA: Major Carriers

• AT&T: One of the largest wireless providers in the US, with a long history and extensive nationwide coverage. Their SMS gateway converts emails into standard text messages (SMS) or multimedia messages (MMS) depending on the email address you use.
• Verizon: Another dominant US carrier known for reliability and wide network coverage. Their SMS gateway delivers email as standard text messages, and you use a different gateway address to send picture or video messages.
• T-Mobile: A popular national carrier offering competitive plans and generally good coverage. After their merger with Sprint, they now control a major share of the US wireless market.
• US Cellular: While smaller than the “Big Three”, US Cellular offers regional service in many areas of the United States, with a focus on midwestern and some eastern states.

Canada: Major Carriers

• Rogers: One of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies with a robust nationwide network. They offer a variety of wireless and internet services.
• Bell: Another major Canadian carrier with strong coverage across the country. They provide a wide range of phone, internet, and TV packages.
• Telus: Completing the “Big Three” of Canadian carriers, Telus boasts reliable coverage and a mix of wireless and home services.

Important Extras for Your Blog

• Emphasize MVNOs: Mention that many smaller, prepaid carriers (MVNOs) exist. Explain they use the networks of larger carriers. Highlight this adds complexity as finding their gateway address may take a little more research.
• Resources: Remind readers they can find smaller carrier gateway information through:
  • Wikipedia’s lists of carriers
  • Carrier lookup websites
  • Official government regulator websites (FCC in the US, CRTC in Canada)

Compose Your Email

Now that you know the recipient’s carrier, it’s time to start writing your email! Here’s what you need to do:

The “To” field: The most critical part is getting this right. Enter the following:

• • Recipient’s 10-digit phone number (no dashes or spaces)
  • @ symbol
  • The carrier’s email-to-SMS gateway address (from the list we covered earlier)

Example: If you’re texting someone on Verizon, it might look like this: [email address removed]

Subject Line (Optional): While you can include a subject line, many carriers ignore it when sending as an SMS. Keep it brief if you use one.

Message Body: Type your text message as you usually would in an email. Keep in mind that standard SMS messages have a character limit (usually around 160 characters). Longer messages may be split into multiple texts.

Hit Send!

Once you double-check the address format, hit that send button! Your email will be whisked through the carrier’s gateway and should arrive on the recipient’s phone as a regular text message within seconds or minutes.

Important Note: Delivery times can occasionally be affected by network congestion. If your SMS doesn’t arrive within a few minutes, double-check the gateway address and try again.

List Of Email-To-SMS Addresses

Misc

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3 River Wireless
<10-digit-number>@sms.3rivers.net

A

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ACS Wireless

<10-digit-number>@paging.acswireless.com

Advantage Communications

<10-digit-number>@advantagepaging.com

Airtouch Pagers

<10-digit-number>@myairmail.com

<10-digit-number>@alphapage.airtouch.com

<10-digit-number>@airtouch.net

<10-digit-number>@airtouchpaging.com

AlphNow

pin-number@alphanow.net

Alltel

<10-digit-number>@alltelmessage.com

Alltel PCS

<10-digit-number>@message.alltel.com

Ameritech Paging

<10-digit-number>@paging.acswireless.com

<10-digit-number>@pageapi.com

Ameritech Clearpath

<10-digit-number>@clearpath.acswireless.com

Andhra Pradesh Airtel

<10-digit-number>@airtelap.com

Arch Pagers (PageNet)

<10-digit-number>@archwireless.net

<10-digit-number>@epage.arch.com

<10-digit-number>@archwireless.net

AT&T

<10-digit-number>@mms.att.net

<10-digit-number>@txt.att.net

AT&T Pocketnet PCS

<10-digit-number>@dpcs.mobile.att.net

B

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Beepwear

<10-digit-number>@beepwear.net

BeeLine GSM

<10-digit-number>@sms.beemail.ru

Bell Atlantic

<10-digit-number>@message.bam.com

Bell Canada

<10-digit-number>@txt.bellmobility.ca

<10-digit-number>@bellmobility.ca

Bell Mobility

<10-digit-number>@txt.bellmobility.ca

Bell South (Blackberry)

<10-digit-number>@bellsouthtips.com

Bell South

<10-digit-number>@sms.bellsouth.com

<10-digit-number>@wireless.bellsouth.com

<10-digit-number>@blsdcs.net

<10-digit-number>@bellsouth.cl

Bell South Mobility

<10-digit-number>@blsdcs.net

Blue Sky Frog

<10-digit-number>@blueskyfrog.com

Bluegrass Cellular

<10-digit-number>@sms.bluecell.com

Boost

<10-digit-number>@myboostmobile.com

BPL mobile

<10-digit-number>@bplmobile.com

C

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Cellular One East Coast

<10-digit-number>@phone.cellone.net

Cellular One South West

<10-digit-number>@swmsg.com

Cellular One PCS

<10-digit-number>@paging.cellone-sf.com

Cellular One

<10-digit-number>@mobile.celloneusa.com

<10-digit-number>@cellularone.txtmsg.com

<10-digit-number>@cellularone.textmsg.com

<10-digit-number>@cell1.textmsg.com

<10-digit-number>@message.cellone-sf.com

<10-digit-number>@sbcemail.com

Cellular One West

<10-digit-number>@mycellone.com

Cellular South

<10-digit-number>@csouth1.com

Central Vermont Communications

<10-digit-number>@cvcpaging.com

CenturyTel

<10-digit-number>@messaging.centurytel.net

Chennai RPG Cellular

<10-digit-number>@rpgmail.net

Chennai Skycell / Airtel

<10-digit-number>@airtelchennai.com

Cincinnati Bell

<10-digit-number>@mobile.att.net

Cingular Wireless

<10-digit-number>@mycingular.textmsg.com

<10-digit-number>@mobile.mycingular.com

<10-digit-number>@mobile.mycingular.net

Claro Wireless

<10-digit-number>@vtexto

Clearnet

<10-digit-number>@msg.clearnet.com

Comcast

<10-digit-number>@comcastpcs.textmsg.com

Communication Specialists

pin-number@pageme.comspeco.net

Communication Specialist Companies

pin-number@pager.comspeco.com

Comviq

<10-digit-number>@sms.comviq.se

Cook Paging

<10-digit-number>@cookmail.com

Corr Wireless Communications

<10-digit-number>@corrwireless.net

D

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Delhi Aritel

<10-digit-number>@airtelmail.com

Delhi Hutch

<10-digit-number>@delhi.hutch.co.in

Digi-Page / Page Kansas

<10-digit-number>@page.hit.net

Dobson Cellular Systems

<10-digit-number>@mobile.dobson.net

Dobson-Alex Wireless / Dobson-Cellular One

<10-digit-number>@mobile.cellularone.com

DT T-Mobile

<10-digit-number>@t-mobile-sms.de

Dutchtone / Orange-NL

<10-digit-number>@sms.orange.nl

E

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Edge Wireless

<10-digit-number>@sms.edgewireless.com

EMT

<10-digit-number>@sms.emt.ee

Emtel

<7-digit-number>@emtelworld.net

Escotel

<10-digit-number>@escotelmobile.com

F

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Fido

<10-digit-number>@fido.ca

G

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Galaxy Corporation

<10-digit-number>.epage@sendabeep.net

GCS Paging

<10-digit-number>@webpager.us

Goa BPLMobil

<10-digit-number>@bplmobile.com

Google Project Fi

<10-digit-number>@msg.fi.google.com

Golden Telecom

<10-digit-number>@sms.goldentele.com

GrayLink / Porta-Phone

<10-digit-number>@epage.porta-phone.com

GTE

<10-digit-number>@airmessage.net

<10-digit-number>@gte.pagegate.net

<10-digit-number>@messagealert.com

Gujarat Celforce

<10-digit-number>@celforce.com

H

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Houston Cellular

<10-digit-number>@text.houstoncellular.net

I

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Idea Cellular

<10-digit-number>@ideacellular.net

Infopage Systems

pin-number@page.infopagesystems.com

Inland Cellular Telephone

<10-digit-number>@inlandlink.com

J

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JSM Tele-Page

pin-number@jsmtel.com

K

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Kerala Escotel

<10-digit-number>@escotelmobile.com

Kolkata Airtel

<10-digit-number>@airtelkol.com

Kyivstar

<10-digit-number>@smsmail.lmt.lv

L

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Lauttamus Communication

<10-digit-number>@e-page.net

LMT

<10-digit-number>@smsmail.lmt.lv

M

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Maharashtra BPL Mobile

<10-digit-number>@bplmobile.com

Maharashtra Idea Cellular

<10-digit-number>@ideacellular.net

Manitoba Telecom Systems

<10-digit-number>@text.mtsmobility.com

MCI Phone

<10-digit-number>@mci.com

MCI

<10-digit-number>@pagemci.com

Meteor

<10-digit-number>@mymeteor.ie

<10-digit-number>@sms.mymeteor.ie

Metrocall

<10-digit-number>@page.metrocall.com

Metrocall 2-way

<10-digit-number>@my2way.com

Metro PCS

<10-digit-number>@mymetropcs.com

<10-digit-number>@metropcs.sms.us

Microcell

<10-digit-number>@fido.ca

Midwest Wireless

<10-digit-number>@clearlydigital.com

MiWorld

<10-digit-number>@m1.com.sg

Mobilecom PA

<10-digit-number>@page.mobilcom.net

Mobilecomm

<10-digit-number>@mobilecomm.net

Mobileone

<10-digit-number>@m1.com.sg

Mobilfone

<10-digit-number>@page.mobilfone.com

Mobility Bermuda

<10-digit-number>@ml.bm

Mobistar Belgium

<10-digit-number>@mobistar.be

Mobitel Tanzania

<10-digit-number>@sms.co.tz

Mobtel Srbija

<10-digit-number>@mobtel.co.yu

Morris Wireless

<10-digit-number>@beepone.net

Motient

<10-digit-number>@isp.com

Movistar

<10-digit-number>@correo.movistar.net

Mumbai BPL Mobile

<10-digit-number>@bplmobile.com

Mumbai Orange

<10-digit-number>@orangemail.co.in

N

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NBTel

<10-digit-number>@wirefree.informe.ca

Netcom

<10-digit-number>@sms.netcom.no

Nextel

<10-digit-number>@messaging.nextel.com

<10-digit-number>@page.nextel.com

<10-digit-number>@nextel.com.br

NPI Wireless

<10-digit-number>@npiwireless.com

Ntelos

<10-digit-number>@pcs.ntelos.com

O

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O2

<name>@o2.co.uk

O2 (M-mail)

<10-digit-number>@mmail.co.uk

Omnipoint

<10-digit-number>@omnipoint.com

<10-digit-number>@omnipointpcs.com

One Connect Austria

<10-digit-number>@onemail.at

OnlineBeep

<10-digit-number>@onlinebeep.net

Optus Mobile

<10-digit-number>@optusmobile.com.au

Orange

<10-digit-number>@orange.net

Orange Mumbai

<10-digit-number>@orangemail.co.in

Orange – NL / Dutchtone

<10-digit-number>@sms.orange.nl

Oskar

<10-digit-number>@mujoskar.cz

P

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P&T Luxembourg

<10-digit-number>@sms.luxgsm.lu

Pacific Bell

<10-digit-number>@pacbellpcs.net

PageMart

pin-number@pagemart.net

PageMart Advanced /2way

<10-digit-number>@airmessage.net

PageMart Canada

<10-digit-number>@pmcl.net

PageNet Canada

<10-digit-number>@pagegate.pagenet.ca

PageOne NorthWest

<10-digit-number>@page1nw.com

PCS One

<10-digit-number>@pcsone.net

Personal Communication

sms@pcom.ru (<10-digit-number> in subject line)

Pioneer / Enid Cellular

<10-digit-number>@msg.pioneerenidcellular.com

PlusGSM

<10-digit-number>@text.plusgsm.pl

Pondicherry BPL Mobile

<10-digit-number>@bplmobile.com

Powertel

<10-digit-number>@voicestream.net

Price Communications

<10-digit-number>@mobilecell1se.com

Primco

<10-digit-number>@primeco@textmsg.com

Primtel

<10-digit-number>@sms.primtel.ru

ProPage

<7-digit-number>@page.propage.net

Public Service Cellular

<10-digit-number>@sms.pscel.com

Q

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Qualcomm

<name>@pager.qualcomm.com

Qwest

<10-digit-number>@qwestmp.com

R

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RAM Page

<10-digit-number>@ram-page.com

Rogers

<10-digit-number>@pcs.rogers.com

<10-digit-number>@sms.rogers.com

S

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Safaricom

<10-digit-number>@safaricomsms.com

Satelindo GSM

<10-digit-number>@satelindogsm.com

Satellink

<10-digit-number>.pageme@satellink.net

SBC Ameritech Paging

<10-digit-number>@paging.acswireless.com

SCS-900

<10-digit-number>@scs-900.ru

SFR France

<10-digit-number>@sfr.fr

Skytel Pagers

pin-number@skytel.com

<10-digit-number>@email.skytel.com

Simple Freedom

<10-digit-number>@text.simplefreedom.net

Smart Telecom

<10-digit-number>@mysmart.mymobile.ph

Southern LINC

<10-digit-number>@page.southernlinc.com

Southwestern Bell

<10-digit-number>@email.swbw.com

Sprint

<10-digit-number>@sprintpaging.com

Sprint PCS

<10-digit-number>@messaging.sprintpcs.com

ST Paging

pin-number@page.stpaging.com

SunCom

<10-digit-number>@tms.suncom.com

<10-digit-number>@suncom1.com

Sunrise Mobile

<10-digit-number>@mysunrise.ch

<10-digit-number>@freesurf.ch

Surewest Communications

<10-digit-number>@mobile.surewest.com

Swisscom

<10-digit-number>@bluewin.ch

T

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The Indiana Paging Co

<4-last-digits>@pager.tdspager.com

T-Mobile

<10-digit-number>@tmomail.net

<10-digit-number>@voicestream.net

T-Mobile Austria

<10-digit-number>@sms.t-mobile.at

T-Mobile Germany

<10-digit-number>@t-d1-sms.de

T-Mobile UK

<10-digit-number>@t-mobile.uk.net

Tamil Nadu BPL Mobile

<10-digit-number>@bplmobile.com

Tele2 Latvia

<10-digit-number>@sms.tele2.lv

Telefonica Movistar

<10-digit-number>@movistar.net

Telenor

<10-digit-number>@mobilpost.no

Teletouch

<10-digit-number>@pageme.teletouch.com

Telia Denmark

<10-digit-number>@gsm1800.telia.dk

Telus

<10-digit-number>@msg.telus.com

TIM

<10-digit-number>@timnet.com

Triton

<10-digit-number>@tms.suncom.com

TSR Wireless

<10-digit-number>@alphame.com

<10-digit-number>@beep.com

U

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UMC

<10-digit-number>@sms.umc.com.ua

Unicel

<10-digit-number>@utext.com

Uraltel

<10-digit-number>@sms.uraltel.ru

US Cellular

<10-digit-number>@email.uscc.net

US Cellular

<10-digit-number>@uscc.textmsg.com

US West

<10-digit-number>@uswestdatamail.com

Uttar Pradesh Escotel

<10-digit-number>@escotelmobile.com

V

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Verizon Pagers

<10-digit-number>@myairmail.com

Verizon PCS

<10-digit-number>@vtext.com

<10-digit-number>@myvzw.com

Vessotel

<10-digit-number>@pager.irkutsk.ru

Virgin Mobile

<10-digit-number>@vmobl.com

<10-digit-number>@vxtras.com

Vodafone Italy

<10-digit-number>@sms.vodafone.it

Vodafone Japan

<10-digit-number>@c.vodafone.ne.jp

<10-digit-number>@h.vodafone.ne.jp

<10-digit-number>@t.vodafone.ne.jp

Vodafone Spain

<10-digit-number>@vodafone.es

VoiceStream / T-Mobile

<10-digit-number>@voicestream.net

W

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WebLink Wiereless

<10-digit-number>@airmessage.net

<10-digit-number>@pagemart.net

West Central Wireless

<10-digit-number>@sms.wcc.net

Western Wireless

<10-digit-number>@cellularonewest.com

Wyndtell

<10-digit-number>@wyndtell.com