Question for my techno-geek friends

[NV Whino]

This is not specifically a Mac situation, but since I'm on Mac, I thought I would start here.

I live in an area where I do not get cell phone service at my house. All the gardeners, housekeepers and contractors I need to keep up with just love texting. However, no cell service, no texting.

So the question is, is there something I can set up to get text messages via e-mail? And, of course, send e-mail that becomes text messages?

[aidbo]

1. Try google voice?

http://www.howtogeek.com/221476/how-to-send-sms-messages-from-any-pc-or-mac/

This article mentions messages on Mac which works with iPhone etc.
but if you don't have cell service I believe you can text using google voice. (Third section of the article)

[NV Whino]

2. There's a thought.

But let me tell you a Google Voice story.

I have a Google number, but haven't used it very often. So, it asked me to verify that I still want the number. Okay, fine. But they confirm by calling my cell phone where I don't get service at my house where I'm on the computer trying to verify. So, I don't know if I still have Google voice or not. It's probably something I can solve if I have a couple of spare hours and my patient level is high.

Thanks for the suggestion. If no one comes up with a different solution, I'll gird my loins and wade into the Google morass.

[NV Whino]

5. I go to my Google Voice page and can find no way to set up sms

[aidbo]

6. It might be automatic. Try getting a friend to send a text to your google number.

[Indydem]

3. Who is your carrier?

Do you have an iPhone?

[NV Whino]

4. AT&T

No iPhone. Tracfone, and is Android based I think. It's an LG.

[TexasProgresive]

7. I have no experience with it but . Pinger Textfree Web

is an app that might work for you. Here's a link to PC world piece on it:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/242252/send_and_receive_text_messages_on_your_pc.html
Even though coming from PC World maybe it works on MAC as well.

[NV Whino]

10. Okay, I downloaded this

You get a specific phone number to use. No problem there, but if you don't use it, it expires in 30 days.

Except for that, it got pretty good reviews.

[NV Whino]

9. Seeing the gps says is the problem.

Honestly you'd think I live in Siberia or something. Actually, Siberia probably has better cell service than I do.

[NV Whino]

12. Yeah, it's weird

There's plenty of sky available, but apparently the sats avoid my part of it.

I had a Garmin for a while. In order to set my home address I had to go drive a quarter mile or so.