The process involves sending a Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message to a recipient’s AT&T wireless device using an email client. This is achieved by addressing an email to the recipient’s ten-digit mobile phone number, followed by the appropriate AT&T domain for SMS or MMS. For example, sending a text message would entail addressing the email to “1234567890@txt.att.net”, while sending a multimedia message would use “1234567890@mms.att.net”.
This functionality provides a convenient method for individuals to send messages to mobile phones directly from their computer, offering an alternative to using a physical phone. Benefits include the ease of typing longer messages using a keyboard, archiving sent messages within an email system, and sending messages when a mobile device may not be readily accessible. Historically, this feature provided crucial connectivity when internet access was more prevalent than cellular service or when international texting costs were prohibitive.