International SIM with email sms gateway?

[mileageman]

I have been trying to find a card that meets the following criteria:

1. Prepaid international sim, preferably with a small initial outlay
2. Free incoming sms, with an email gateway

I purchased one of the estonian cards, but there is no email sms gateway.

[MrEd]

Do you mean the ability to trigger a call back by sending an email?

Originally Posted by mileageman

I have been trying to find a card that meets the following criteria:

1. Prepaid international sim, preferably with a small initial outlay
2. Free incoming sms, with an email gateway

I purchased one of the estonian cards, but there is no email sms gateway.

[mileageman]

No, I need the ability to send an email to address which then appears as a sms message on the phone.

[DRNewcomb]

Last time I used my Mobal SIM it had an e-mail address.

[mileageman]

I had heard about mobal, but was unsure of the email to text service was still working; Does anyone out there know?

Also, mobal would really be a last resort, as the prices for calls are exorbitant.

[Bossman]

While all US carriers have this feature, it's not a common feature in other countries. You have to activate the Mobal one, and I do not think it's free to receive the email to sms.

Originally Posted by mileageman

No, I need the ability to send an email to address which then appears as a sms message on the phone.

[andy]

For networks themselves, it does seem to be a mainly American and Canadian facility.

There are independent services doing this, but chargeable at typically 15 or 20 cents each. A Google search will find a selection, some with a free trial

Other firms allow sending from a webpage, or have mobile Java clients, or both. Vyke is 2 cents a message. The Betamax VoIP brands sometimes have free message promotions, but switch from time to time and there's a slightly unknown or movable fair use policy on the free ones

[mileageman]

I contacted Mobal, they do offer this but it is charged it .80 cents per message. Still haven't found anyone offering it free...

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by mileageman

I contacted Mobal, they do offer this but it is charged it .80 cents per message. Still haven't found anyone offering it free...

My experience has been that it cost me nothing to receive the e-mail. Yes, it would cost $.80 to send. But of course, if you have a phone with Java & GPRS you can send SMS and e-mail much cheaper if smsBug.com will work for you.