How do I add my email account info to Free TXT!?
Before you can start sending messages with Free TXT!, you need to enter your email account info.
It's easy -- let's take a look at each of the required fields:
- Username: Enter the username for your email account. Depending on your email provider,
you may or may not have to enter your full email address here.
- Password: Enter the password for your email account. Free TXT! does not share
this information with anyone but your email provider.
- SMTP Server: Enter your outgoing (SMTP) mail server. If you're using Gmail, you
can use smtp.gmail.com -- but if you're using another email provider, please contact them to get
your SMTP server info.
- Your cell #: Enter your cell number. Since Free TXT! uses email to send text messages,
entering your cell number will let the recipient know what your cell number is.
Can you recommend an email provider?
We recommend using Gmail, because it's free, you get tons of storage, and we like the way it looks.
Does Free TXT! require a WiFi connection?
Free TXT! requires an internet connection to send messages. If you're using an iPod touch, this means
you'll need to be conntected to a WiFi network (how else would your message get sent!).
Can I use Free TXT! to send messages to cell phones in my country?
For now, Free TXT! works with the following
Canadian cell phone providers: Virgin Mobile, Bell,
Telus, Rogers, Fido, Koodo, and PC Mobile. We currently have no plans to add American carriers, because
there are simply too many; if you're from outside the US and would like us to support your cell carrier,
drop us a line at
support@milktouch.ca.
Will Free TXT! alert me when someone replies to a message I send?
Since Free TXT! uses your email account to send messages, all replies will be directed back to your email account.
Just check your inbox to see if anyone has replied.
Can I set up my email account to forward replies back to my cell phone?
If you use Gmail... maybe! It depends on the carrier to which the original message was sent. Here's the basic idea:
Gmail allows you to create an unlimited number of "plus" aliases -- for example, if your email address was sample@gmail.com,
any mail sent to sample+<alias>@gmail.com (e.g., sample+spam@gmail.com, sample+throwaway@gmail.com) will be sent to
your inbox. You don't need to set up these aliases; you can use one as soon as you dream it up. So in our Free TXT!
settings, we'll enter "+sms@gmail.com" to our username (e.g., sample+sms@gmail.com).
Gmail also allows you to send messages from accounts other than your Gmail account. To accomplish this, sign into Gmail, click
Settings, and then go to the "Accounts and Import" tab. Under "Send mail as", click the "Send mail from another address" button
and add your new "username+sms@gmail.com" address.
Don't make this the default account!
Finally, you'll want to go to the Filters tab and set up a filter so that all email addressed to "username+sms@gmail.com" is
forwarded to your cell phone's email address. Depending on your cell phone provider, your phone's email address should be one
of the following:
[10-digit phone number]@vmobile.ca (Virgin Mobile)
[10-digit phone number]@txt.bell.ca (Bell)
[10-digit phone number]@pcs.rogers.com (Rogers)
[10-digit phone number]@fido.ca (Fido)
[10-digit phone number]@msg.telus.com (Telus)
[10-digit phone number]@mobiletxt.ca (PC Mobile)
[10-digit phone number]@msg.koodomobile.com (Koodo)
That's all there is to it; when you send your next message, Gmail should see that you've specified the +sms alias and that
you've authorized that alias to send messages. Your message should appear on the recipient's phone as coming
from the "+sms@gmail.com" address; when they reply, your filter should redirect the message to your cell phone.
Does it cost money to send text messages?
Sending text messages with Free TXT! doesn't cost you any money, but some cell carriers may charge your friends for
incoming messages.