Email Texts

• 1). Open your email program if it's not already open.
  
  
• 2). Enter the appropriate command to compose a new message.
  
  
• 3). Input the recipient's 10-digit cell phone number -- with no dashes or spaces -- in the "To" address field.
  
  
• 4). Follow the phone number with the symbol "@" and then the appropriate address information based on the recipient's cell phone provider. The website "email text messages" lists many common U.S. and Canadian cell phone companies' text-messaging addresses. Some of the common ones are as follows: Alltell is "message.alltel.com," AT&T is "txt.att.net," Boost Mobile is "myboostmobile.com," Cellular One is "mobile.celloneusa.com," CenturyTel is "message.centurytel.net," Metro PCS is "mymetropcs.com," Sprint is "messaging.springpcs.com," Virgin Mobile is "vmobl.com," T-Mobile is "tmomail.net" and Verizon is "vtext.com."
  
  
• 5). Type your message in the body of the email and click "Send." You pay nothing to send the text message, but the recipient may incur a fee depending on his phone plan.
  
  

Instant Messaging Texts

• 1). Install the latest version of AIM, "AOL Desktop v10.1" if you don't already have it, and open the program. Double-click the name of the text message's recipient in your Buddy List. In the window that opens, click "Or send a mobile text message." Type "+1" and then the recipient's cell number in blank box that opens. Type your message as you would a regular instant message and press "Send." Your text message may not be longer than 135 characters.
  
  
• 2). Open Yahoo! Messenger. Right-click a contact's name, and then select "Send a Text Message." If you do not have a cell phone number stored for a recipient, Messenger will prompt you to enter it now. Type your message as you would a regular chat message and press "Send." Yahoo! Messenger's website states that this service is available for those whose cell providers are AT&T, Alltel, Nextel (Sprint), Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile.
  
  
• 3). Remember that like sending a text message via email, you do not have to pay to send the text message, but the recipient may incur a fee depending on his phone plan.