Many businesses and IT teams have used email-to-sms for sending critical messages like alerts, reminders, or notifications. This worked by emailing a mobile carrier’s special address (for example, 1234567890@vtext.com), which then forwarded it as a text to the recipient’s phone. It was easy, low-cost, and widely adopted.
But now, this method is being shut down.
Email-to-SMS gateways are being phased out, and some major U.S. carriers have already disabled the service entirely. Sprint’s email-to-SMS stopped working in early 2022, and Boost Mobile’s service is now reported to be fully offline. T-Mobile’s gateway became unreliable in late 2024 and appears to be completely non-functional as of December that year. Verizon’s vtext.com gateway has ongoing delivery issues, with no new users being onboarded, and the company advises against using it for business purposes. AT&T has officially announced it will shut down its email-to-sms and text-to-email services on June 17, 2025.
These changes affect systems that send automated messages using email to text, such as monitoring tools, booking systems, healthcare alerts, or customer service notifications. If you’re still using a carrier gateway for messaging, there’s a high chance your messages will stop going through ( if they haven’t already).
One of the most trusted solutions to replace email-to-sms is SMSEagle. It’s a hardware SMS gateway that you install locally. The device uses a physical SIM card (just like a mobile phone) to send and receive text messages directly through the cellular network. You can keep using the same workflow: send an email, and the device converts it to SMS and sends it out.
The main difference is that it is a hardware solution, installed on-site, and operates entirely within your local network. Unlike cloud-based messaging services, it does not transmit or store any data on external servers. All SMS messages and configurations remain under your control, reducing exposure to third-party access and external threats. This on-premise setup supports compliance with strict data protection policies, especially in sectors like healthcare, government, or finance. By keeping communication local, it provides a reliable and secure alternative to online SMS solutions, without compromising privacy or data ownership.
Unlike cloud-based services that charge recurring fees, SMSEagle is a one-time purchase. You buy the device once, and it’s yours to use - no subscriptions, no hidden fees. It runs on a standard SIM card plan, so your only ongoing cost is your regular mobile carrier fee.
This makes it cost-effective, especially for long-term use and organizations that send out a lot of messages.
While SMSEagle includes full support for email-to-sms, that’s just the beginning. The device offers over 40 additional features to streamline communication, automate workflows, and improve system monitoring. It handles SMS, MMS, voice calls, email, and even Signal messages — all from a single platform.
Carrier email-to-sms services are being discontinued. If your systems use this method to send messages, they may stop working soon. Replacing this functionality requires a local solution that can handle SMS messaging without relying on carrier gateways. A hardware SMS gateway can provide that function, allowing you to continue sending SMS messages from your existing setup.
It is used across industries for sending alerts from monitoring systems, emergency notifications, automated reminders, and promotional messaging. Common environments include not only data centers, hospitals, factories, and public institutions, but also customer service and marketing. Anywhere reliable, secure, and cheap SMS communication is needed without depending on internet access.
Learn more about and request a demo here. Try SMSEagle today! Looking to connect your new SMS solution? We offer connectivity options from your favorite telecom carriers. Get connected today!
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