This refers to the practice of converting electronic mail into a format suitable for delivery as a short message service (SMS) text message. For example, notifications from an email account might be forwarded as text messages to a mobile phone, alerting the recipient to new correspondence without requiring constant email client access.
The significance of this conversion lies in its ability to bridge the gap between traditional email communication and the immediacy of mobile messaging. It provides timely alerts and information dissemination, particularly in scenarios where individuals may have limited or intermittent internet connectivity. Historically, this functionality emerged as a means to extend email accessibility to environments with pervasive mobile phone usage but less reliable internet infrastructure.