YouScribbleYou.com Email Reminder Service
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Mobile Phone TextingDo you know what is a Carrier-provided email to SMS gateway? We know, but we're not telling. ...OK... We'll tell. Many of the mobile phone carriers provide an email address that allows you to send text messages to mobile phones on their networks using SMS (Short Message Service). As non geeks, you and I simply call that "texting." Are you saying I can schedule a text message? Yep. YOWZA. Really? Wow. That's Fun Stuff... Important Stuff... Can't-Live-Without-It Stuff. We agree, but there are a few obstacles to overcome. The first obstacle is that you need to know the carrier used by your friend (or enemy). Does he/she/it have an iPhone? If so, the carrier is AT&T (because that is the only carrier Apple allows, unless the phone has been cracked, hacked, and jacked). Beyond that simple example, we are clueless as to how to determine a users network without asking the user (or rummaging through the user's trash). There are issues the email-to-SMS gateway messages: You cannot control the format of the messages. Some carriers display the email address of the sender. Some display the email address of the server. Some include the subject line. Some don't. You cannot control what number the messages are delivered from. The SMS gateway controls the notification. Text messages being what they are are always read (I would guess). It is probably best to include a reply-to address or phone number within the body of the message. That will always be seen. Just in case you missed the meat of the matter, I reiterate: It is probably best to include a reply-to address or phone number within the body of the message. You cannot predetermine just where the reply to the message is sent. If the receiving party just texts back, it is not possible to determine the outcome. The short of it is that the SMS gateway provide a service that is helpful, meaning the ability to send an email as a text. Beyond that, the service is not yet mature. Now, that said, I can offer an opportunity. Don't knock it (get it?). Try looking up the telephone number here. If the person hasn't left his/her/its first carrier/provider, the site might determine the carrier correctly. When I got my iPhone, I jumped from Alltel to AT&T. The site told me my number was on the Alltel network. If you are sending scheduled text messages to yourself, that's no problemo because you know your carrier, right? Tip: If you don't know your own carrier, remember the trash rummaging thing. The next obstacle is the delivery guarantees. If you read through the technical issues surrounding the SMS protocol, you often enough come across statements about "lack of control over message delivery," and of certain problems with "being unable to offer delivery guarantees." That said, we have not experienced any problems. We have found 100% reliablility within our own text message scheduling experience. Nonetheless, you have been warned that some hack cell phone carrier might lose your message. The final caveat that we need to mention is that despite the method of sending the text message, the cell phone carriers will apply their standard rate structure to the message. We don't charge you a penny, but "they" might. OK... you are now informed. Find your carrier in the chart below, and format your message address as noted. Now have fun... Stay safe... and don't text while driving. Now that I think about it, you probably shouldn't text while drinking either. Who knew my boss didn't want to be texted at 2am? Email to Text Message Format Chart Once you've found your format, here's a link to the Add Reminder page.
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