Here is how it works:
Most of mobile carriers offer free Email To SMS gateways which can be used to forward simple text emails to a mobile phones. And the good news, majority of those gateways are free and available to the general public.
You just need to know the number and the carrier of the recipient to start emailing them to mobile phone. Below we put together a table listing free email to SMS gateways for different carriers. You can use as quick reference both for US and international mobile numbers.
Free Email To SMS Gateways (Major US Carriers)
Carrier | Email to SMS Gateway |
Alltel | [10-digit phone number]@message.alltel.com Example: 1234567890@message.alltel.com |
AT&T (formerly Cingular) | [10-digit phone number]@txt.att.net [10-digit phone number]@mms.att.net (MMS) [10-digit phone number]@cingularme.com Example: 1234567890@txt.att.net |
Boost Mobile | [10-digit phone number]@myboostmobile.com Example: 1234567890@myboostmobile.com |
Nextel (now Sprint Nextel) | [10-digit telephone number]@messaging.nextel.com Example: 1234567890@messaging.nextel.com |
Sprint PCS (now Sprint Nextel) | [10-digit phone number]@messaging.sprintpcs.com [10-digit phone number]@pm.sprint.com (MMS) Example: 1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com |
T-Mobile | [10-digit phone number]@tmomail.net Example: 1234567890@tmomail.net |
US Cellular | [10-digit phone number]email.uscc.net (SMS) [10-digit phone number]@mms.uscc.net (MMS) Example: 1234567890@email.uscc.net |
Verizon | [10-digit phone number]@vtext.com [10-digit phone number]@vzwpix.com (MMS) Example: 1234567890@vtext.com |
Virgin Mobile USA | [10-digit phone number]@vmobl.com Example: 1234567890@vmobl.com |
Free Email To SMS Gateways (International + Smaller US)
These are all I could find from Wikipedia and other sources. If you’re aware of any other ones please share them in comments and I’ll add them to the list.
Carrier | Email to SMS Gateway |
7-11 Speakout (USA GSM) | number@cingularme.com |
Airtel (Karnataka, India) | number@airtelkk.com |
Airtel Wireless (Montana, USA) | number@sms.airtelmontana.com |
Alaska Communications Systems | number@msg.acsalaska.com |
Aql | number@text.aql.com |
AT&T Enterprise Paging | number@page.att.net |
BigRedGiant Mobile Solutions | number@tachyonsms.co.uk |
Bell Mobility & Solo Mobile (Canada) | number@txt.bell.ca |
BPL Mobile (Mumbai, India) | number@bplmobile.com |
Cellular One (Dobson) | number@mobile.celloneusa.com |
Cingular (Postpaid) | number@cingularme.com |
Centennial Wireless | number@cwemail.com |
Cingular (GoPhone prepaid) | number@cingularme.com (SMS) |
Claro (Brasil) | number@clarotorpedo.com.br |
Claro (Nicaragua) | number@ideasclaro-ca.com |
Comcel | number@comcel.com.co |
Cricket | number@sms.mycricket.com (SMS) |
CTI | number@sms.ctimovil.com.ar |
Emtel (Mauritius) | number@emtelworld.net |
Fido (Canada) | number@fido.ca |
General Communications Inc. | number@msg.gci.net |
Globalstar (satellite) | number@msg.globalstarusa.com |
Helio | number@myhelio.com |
Illinois Valley Cellular | number@ivctext.com |
Iridium (satellite) | number@msg.iridium.com |
i wireless | number.iws@iwspcs.net |
Koodo Mobile (Canada) | number@msg.koodomobile.com |
Meteor (Ireland) | number@sms.mymeteor.ie |
Mero Mobile (Nepal) | 977number@sms.spicenepal.com |
MetroPCS | number@mymetropcs.com |
Movicom | number@movimensaje.com.ar |
Mobitel (Sri Lanka) | number@sms.mobitel.lk |
Movistar (Colombia) | number@movistar.com.co |
MTN (South Africa) | number@sms.co.za |
MTS (Canada) | number@text.mtsmobility.com |
Nextel (United States) | number@messaging.nextel.com |
Nextel (Argentina) | TwoWay.11number@nextel.net.ar |
Orange Polska (Poland) | 9digit@orange.pl |
Personal (Argentina) | number@alertas.personal.com.ar |
Plus GSM (Poland) | +48number@text.plusgsm.pl |
President’s Choice (Canada) | number@txt.bell.ca |
Qwest | number@qwestmp.com |
Rogers (Canada) | number@pcs.rogers.com |
SL Interactive (Australia) | number@slinteractive.com.au |
Sasktel (Canada) | number@sms.sasktel.com |
Setar Mobile email (Aruba) | 297+number@mas.aw |
Suncom | number@tms.suncom.com |
T-Mobile (Austria) | number@sms.t-mobile.at |
T-Mobile (UK) | number@t-mobile.uk.net |
Telus Mobility (Canada) | number@msg.telus.com |
Thumb Cellular | number@sms.thumbcellular.com |
Tigo (Formerly Ola) | number@sms.tigo.com.co |
Tracfone (prepaid) | number@mmst5.tracfone.com |
Unicel | number@utext.com |
Virgin Mobile (Canada) | number@vmobile.ca |
Vodacom (South Africa) | number@voda.co.za |
YCC | number@sms.ycc.ru |
MobiPCS (Hawaii only) | number@mobipcs.net |
If you are aware of any other free sms to email gateways please add it in comments. Also let us know whether you tried any of the above and your experience with it. [via make use of]