Email to SMS for New Zealand businesses Send a text message as easily as an email
Email to SMS is designed for teams and systems that already work through email. Staff can send one-off messages from a familiar inbox, while monitoring tools, CRMs and business applications can trigger SMS alerts using their existing email functions.
No new software Use the email client and workflow your team already knows.
Two-way messaging Receive SMS replies in email or through the web portal.
Delivery reporting Track message results without leaving your normal workflow.
How the Email to SMS gateway works
Once your sending email address or domain is authorised, sending an SMS takes three steps.
1 Compose an email
Write the SMS message in the email body using Outlook, Microsoft 365, Gmail or another email client.
2 Address the mobile
Enter the destination mobile number followed by the SMS gateway domain in the email's To field.
3 Send and track
SMS4U converts the email into SMS. Delivery reports and recipient replies can return to your inbox.
Example recipient addressTo field
021000001@sms.tnz.co.nz Authorised senders only. The email address or company domain used to send messages must be registered against your SMS4U account.
Email to SMS features
Use email as a simple SMS gateway for individual messages, operational alerts and larger broadcasts.
Works with common email clients Send SMS from Outlook, Microsoft 365, Gmail, Apple Mail and other standard email services.
Automated alerts Convert emails from monitoring tools, ticketing systems or business applications into SMS notifications.
Bulk SMS by email Send to multiple recipients or use a CSV broadcast for larger lists without manually entering every number.
SMS replies to email Keep two-way customer or staff conversations visible from the inbox your team already monitors.
Message reporting Receive success or failure reports by email and review sent messages through the SMS4U portal.
New Zealand support Get local assistance with sender authorisation, account setup and the best sending method for your workflow.
Send one SMS or a bulk broadcast
Choose the sending method that matches the size and purpose of the message.
Single or small-group SMS
Address the email to a mobile number at the SMS gateway domain. For a small group, add additional recipient addresses in the To field.
Bulk SMS from a CSV
For larger broadcasts, email the broadcast address supplied with your account and attach a CSV containing the destination mobile numbers.
Common Email to SMS use cases
- Server and system alerts: escalate important monitoring emails to an on-call mobile.
- Appointment reminders: send confirmations and schedule changes from booking workflows.
- Dispatch and field teams: message drivers, technicians and mobile staff from a shared inbox.
- Customer updates: send order, service and account notifications without switching tools.
- Internal communications: deliver urgent staff notices when email alone may be missed.
- CRM workflows: use an application's existing email trigger when a direct SMS integration is unavailable.
What to know before sending
- Use plain, concise email content because rich formatting is removed when the SMS is created.
- A standard SMS part supports up to 160 GSM characters; longer messages are split into multiple billed parts.
- Emoji, macrons and some special characters use Unicode encoding and reduce the characters available per SMS part.
- Keep email signatures and disclaimers outside the SMS content so they are not sent to the recipient.
Email to SMS FAQs
What is Email to SMS?
Email to SMS converts a normal email into a text message. Address the email to the recipient's mobile number at the SMS gateway domain, write the message in the email body, and send it from an authorised email address.
Can I send SMS from Outlook, Microsoft 365 or Gmail?
Yes. Email to SMS works with standard email clients and services, including Outlook, Microsoft 365, Gmail, Apple Mail and other systems that can send email.
Can recipients reply to an Email to SMS message?
Yes. Replies can be delivered back to the sending email inbox and viewed through the SMS4U web portal, depending on the account configuration.
Can I send bulk SMS from email?
Yes. Small groups can be addressed from an email, while larger broadcasts can be sent using the account's broadcast address with a CSV list of mobile numbers.
Does Email to SMS require extra software?
No. Your team can use its existing email client. The sending email address or company domain must first be authorised on the SMS4U account.