It's easy to phone children by texting messages. Here's how to send a text message from an email account to a cell phone. Children always seem to read their text messages, but seldom answer phone calls. Anyone who wants to contact a teen must learn to text messages.
Seniors and boomers have a difficult time learning to send text messages from a cell phone, because the buttons are too small. However, any parent or grandparent who can type, can also “text". It is necessary to know:
- Child’s cell phone number
- Child’s area code for cell phone number
- Name of child’s cell phone service provider, i.e. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, etc.
To Send Text Message from Email
Sending a text message is just like sending an email. From an email account, the grandparent types the child’s “text message” address into the address box (i.e. “To”____). Here is an example of how text messaging looks for a grandchild with a Verizon cell phone:
- 1234567890 @vtext.com
[ The "1234567890" represents the child's area code, then the child’s phone number with no separation between numbers or the "@vtext.com". All cell phone carriers have a similar format.] Here are the most common ones:
- Verizon - xxxxxxxxxx @vtext.com
- AT&T - xxxxxxxxxx @txt.att.net
- T-Mobile - xxxxxxxxxx @tmomail.net
- Nextel - xxxxxxxxxx @messaging.nextel.com
- Sprint - xxxxxxxxxx @messaging.sprintpcs.com
- Qwest - xxxxxxxxxx @qwestmp.com
Text Message from Email, Keep it Short
The technical name for text messaging is Short Message Service (SMS), and it is a protocol designed exclusively for cell phones. A specific number of characters (letters and spaces) may be sent, otherwise the message will be truncated, broken up into separate chunks, or not sent at all. If there is a question, check with the child’s service provider.
Verizon Wireless will send up to 160 characters and most cell phone providers have similar limits. This varies among different phone plans, but children and teens are more likely to read a message if it is short. So keep it short.
Cost to Send Text Message from Email
A text sent from a computer is (usually) free. The child can send a text back (reply) for free if the child has a phone plan with unlimited texting. Otherwise, there may be a charge for the child, usually 10 cents or 20 cents, to text back. Alternately, the child could call the parent by phone. A Test Text Message from Email
It is easy to remember to keep a text short if one learns to type the text message into the “subject” box of the outgoing email. Here’s a fast and fabulous way for grandparents to test if they are texting messages properly: Type this into the subject line, then type nothing more, "Bobby do u want a present or money 4 ur birthday? Love G-ma" A grandparent (or parent) should know quickly if the child received the text message.
Texting messages to children is often better than phoning. The two most important things to remember: know the child's cell phone service provider and keep the text message short.
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Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
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