Although email may not be the most convenient, it is still used as a method for sending text messages to cell phone customers. Most cell phone service carriers allow their customers to receive text messages sent from email programs. This is true whether the service is a long-term contract or a prepaid service. Sending an e-mail to a cell phone is just as simple as typing in the phone's address and sending the message.
When it comes to sending an e-mail to a Net10 phone customer, however, there are one or two extra steps you must take. Net10 is a prepaid cell phone service so there is no contract, no credit check and no two-year long term commitment. If you sign up for Net10 cell phone service, you get all the benefits of a contract phone service without the long-term commitment, but your service is provided through networks other than Net10.
Because Net 10 doesn't have its own exclusive cell phone network and shares the network of other cell phone providers, sending an email to a Net 10 phone customer means you have to find out which network the Net10 customer is using.
Locate Net10 Service Network
To find service network for a Net10 customer you have to use a third-party service. Some third-party services charge a fee for the network service lookup, but there are still a few free services left. FoneFinder and TelecoData both provide free cell phone provider lookups.
Once you visit the website all you have to do is insert the area code and the phone number for the Net10 cell phone customer you wish to send an email to. After you insert the phone number, the service will provide you with the name of the cell phone number's service carrier.
Format the Net10 Email Address
Now that you have a service carrier, the next thing you have to do is learn how to convert a service carrier's address into an SMS-compatible format. SMS means short message service. In order to send an email to a cell phone, you must use the carrier's short message service address. For example, Verizon's SMS-compatible address is @vtext.com.
Fortunately, there are listings of each cell phone carriers SMS format. About Prepaid Cell Phones (AboutPrepaidCellPhones.com) has an extensive SMS format list for the various cell phone carriers. Once you have the SMS format, you're ready to send the message to your Net10 recipient.
Send Message through Your Preferred Email Program
Now that you're equipped with the network service carrier and the SMS format for the Net10 customer, all you have to do is go to your favorite email program and insert Net10 customer's 10 digit phone number followed by the SMS address. Therefore, sending an email to a Net 10 customer using the AT&T network would be formatted like this: 7186320518@txt.att.net.
Unlike sending an email to a computer, a cell phone can only accept up to 160 characters. Therefore, to save on characters space and remind yourself not to send long-winded text messages, type the entire text message in the "Subject" line of the email program. This makes it easier for the recipient to read and it saves on character spacing.
Felicia A. Williams - Felicia A. Williams is a full time freelance writer with over 20 years of business writing experience.
