"texting 101" help needed
 

I'm fairly new to texting and have discovered the benefits of texting to friends and family. I'm a little confused about 'how' to text to my friends who are on different carriers (other than sprint) for example.
It doesn't appear that I can always text only to a phone number in all cases, or am I wrong?
For example, for me receive a text from an email account, it has to be to "my_number@sprintmessaging.com" instead of just my phone number but am I correct in assuming that if someone is texting me from their mobile phone they would then just use my phone number?

I'd appreciate a primer on texting formats to carriers from an email account or from my cell phone, when to use just the phone number and when more is needed.

Re: "texting 101" help needed
 

i text to everyone. not sprint phones only. if they have a phone number, then i can text. hope that the answer you want. the diamond has a help section in programs. texting should not be a problem.

Re: "texting 101" help needed
 

Ok, let the texting lesson begin. I've had to teach this to my parents so I'm sure I can get ya going.

You can text anyone on any carrier, all you need is their number, including the area code (for me on verizon anyway). You can send text to their email, instead of entering a phone number simply use an email address "Johnsmith@somecompany.com" for example.

Anyone can text you from their phone, all they need is your number. I believe you are correct about sending a text from an email by using "Yournumber@sprintmessaging.com" but I'm not positive on that one as i do not text anyone from a computer via email.

If you have an AIM account and you set up mobile forwarding, any IM your friends send while you have it activated will be sent to your phone in the form of a text.

If i missed anything or you have any further questions, ask away. :mrgreen:

Re: "texting 101" help needed
 

Appreciate the insight. Here is the distinction I'm after. Is there a distinction between texting someone from my computer email versus my phone? If I enter their phone number in the 'to' field of an email address, I'd think that wouldn't work... seems like it would work if I did the same thing from my phone?
I don't always text from my phone only. Sometimes, if convenient, I may text from my computer using Outlook.
So, if I'm hearing correctly...
when I use my phone, I just text a phone number straight from my phone...
if that's true, that's easy enough.

When I want to use my computer, it seems to me that I need to know more than just the phone number and that might vary from carrier to carrier?

Re: "texting 101" help needed
 

Yes, when you use your phone, you just use a phone number. as far as from a computer I'm not too sure only because i don't do it often. I tried texting myself from my email using only my number but it wouldn't let me.

Re: "texting 101" help needed
 

To send a text via email, you have to send it to the number@carriertext gateway.xxx.

For example, if the cell phone that you wanted to text via email was 800.555.1234, then you would send it to the email corresponding to the Carrier below:

AT&T: 8005551234@txt.att.net (SMS or MMS)
Alltel: 8005551234@message.alltel.net (SMS or MMS)
Cricket: 8005551234@sms.mycrisket.com (SMS)
Cricket: 8005551234@mms.mycricket.com (MMS)
Sprint PCS: 8005551234@messaging.sprintpcs.com (SMS)
Sprint PCS: 8005551234@pm.sprint.com (MMS)
T-Mobile: 8005551234@tmomail.net (SMS or MMS)
Telus: 8005551234@msg.telus.com (SMS or MMS)
Verizon: 80005551234@vtext.com (SMS)
Verizon: 8005551234@vzwpix.com (MMS)

For a fairly up to date and complete list, go here.

Re: "texting 101" help needed
 

ok, So i've figured out that if you wanna email a text to someone on verizon its theirnumber@vtext.com area code included.

Re: "texting 101" help needed
 

OK well my one line of info was too late! lol.

Re: "texting 101" help needed
 

Never too late...glad that you were able to figure it out. I was just trying to provide information for most of the bigger carriers in the US and Canada for other users here :)

Re: "texting 101" help needed
 

what's the difference between sms and mms?