Email Messaging FAQ

How many characters can I enter in a message?

The American Messaging network is finely tuned at a local level to ensure the reliable and timely delivery of messages. There is a maximum character limit of 500 characters for Nationwide 2-Way Messaging service and 240 characters for basic alphanumeric and numeric messaging service.

For basic service, actual limits will depend on the recipient’s local region and messaging demand, and may vary over time. Message senders should keep messages brief.

Messages sent via email travel across a myriad of internet servers, routers, and communication and network links. Such messages may experience a delay as these facilities are beyond the control of American Messaging.

Can I send email to a pager?

Yes, simply send an email to the 10-digit pin number @amsmsg.net, for example: 1234567890@amsmsg.net.

Before sending a message, you should know what type of device the American Messaging customer has.

  • Nationwide 2-Way Messaging Devices can receive full text messages up to 20,000 characters.
  • Alpha-Numeric Messaging Devices can receive full text messages usually up to 100 characters (some models and service areas support traditional text paging up to 250 characters).
  • Numeric Messaging Devices can only receive the numbers “0” through “9”.

There are several email addresses (domain names) by which you can send messages to an American Messaging device. You can control what parts of the email are sent to the messaging device based upon which domain name you use. If you still want more control over what information is sent, special options (switches) can be added to the Subject line of the email to provide specific information to the device. Each of the email alternatives and the options are described below.

Email Messaging Alternatives

The following are the email address (domain name) alternatives. Examples of these are provided below. ([pager-number] is the subscriber’s ten-digit American Messaging number)

  1. Using either of these domain names delivers only the body of the email to the messaging device. [pager-number]@alphapage.myairmail.com
  2. Sending email using either of these domain names includes the “From:” field in the message along with the body of the email. [pager-number]@sender.myairmail.com or [pager-number]@pager.myairmail.com
  3. Sending eMail using this domain name includes the “Subject:” field in the message along with the body of the email. [pager-number]@subject.myairmail.com
  4. This domain name sends the “From:” field and the “Subject:” field along with the message body of the email. [pager-number]@msg.myairmail.com
  5. This domain name sends the “From:” field and the “Subject:” field, but not the body of the email. [pager-number]@notify.myairmail.com

Email Messaging Options (Switches)

When using the alphapage.myairmail.com domain name, you can also add “switches” to the Subject line of the email to deliver precisely the information you want. Switches must adhere to the following rules:

  • Switches may be used with any email domain name described above
  • Switches must be located on the Subject line
  • Switches may be in any order
  • Switches may be mixed with the Subject-line text
  • Switches may be combined
  • There must be white-space (space or tab) before and after a switch

The following are the switches available for use with the alphapage.myairmail.com domain name(examples are provided below):

Switch Name Description
-a Author Include the email “From:” field
-s Subject Include the email “Subject:” field
-m Message Include the message body of the email
-c Count Include a date stamp and word count

Email Messaging Examples

If Paul Revere wanted to remind John Larkin of the wireless messaging code they had agreed to use from the bell-tower, he could send one of the following emails depending on what information he wanted John to receive. (John’s pager number is 617-555-1212.)

Example 1: Author and Email Body

Message Sent: From: paul.revere@minutemen.gov
To: 6175551212@sender.
myairmail.com
Subject: Bell-Tower Signal
John,
One if by land, two if by sea.
Message Received: paul.revere@minutemen.gov
John,
One if by land, two if by sea.

Example 2: Email Body Only

Message Sent: From: paul.revere@minutemen.gov
To: 6175551212@alphapage.myairmail.com
Subject: Bell-Tower Signal
John,
One if by land, two if by sea.
Message Received: John,
One if by land, two if by sea..

Example 3: Author and Subject

Message Sent: From: paul.revere@minutemen.gov
To: 6175551212@notify.myairmail.com
Subject: Bell-Tower Signal
John,
One if by land, two if by sea.
Message Received: paul.revere@minutemen.gov
Bell-Tower Signal

Example 4: Author, Subject and Email Body

Message Sent: From: paul.revere@minutemen.gov
To: 6175551212@msg.myairmail.com
Subject: Bell-Tower Signal
John,
One if by land, two if by sea.
Or
From: paul.revere@minutemen.gov
To: 6175551212
@alphapage.myairmail.com
Subject: Bell-Tower Signal -s -a
John,
One if by land, two if by sea.
Message Received: paul.revere@minutemen.gov
Bell-Tower Signal
John,
One if by land, two if by sea.

Example 5: Subject, Email Body and Date/Word Count

Message Sent: From: paul.revere@minutemen.gov
To: 6175551212@alphapage.myairmail.com
Subject: Bell-Tower Signal -s -c
John,
One if by land, two if by sea.
Message Received: Bell-Tower Signal
April 18 (8)
John,
One if by land, two if by sea.