How to send text messages (SMS) using GMail

A new feature in Gmail allows you to send text messages with a credit system in place which can ensure you never run out of SMS credit.

In order to use this feature you will first have to enable it from the GMail labs section.



Log into your Gmail -> Mail Settings -> Labs Tab -> Enable ‘SMS text messaging in chat‘ and ‘SMS in chat gadget‘ -> Save Setting

• Initially, you're granted a credit of fifty messages.
• Every time you send a message, your credit decreases by one.
• Every time you receive an SMS message in Chat (for example when a phone user replies to one of your messages) your credit increases by five, up to a maximum of 50.

If your SMS credit goes down to zero at any point, it will increase back up to one 24 hours later. So, you won't ever be locked out of the system.

At this point you can only have a maximum of 50 credits and the only way to get credits if your text messages get replies. Those who have unlimited texting can obviously refill their own credit by sending messages between their phones as their GMail accounts.


source - Google