It seems obvious that text messaging is only allowed between mobile phones. Or is it? This begs the question: what happens if you text a landline? Not all mobile carriers support landline texting, so texting a landline may not always work. If your number is also blocked by someone with a landline, the text won’t get through. However, some carriers that do support this feature do support the option to convert a text message to a voice message for a landline.

The process of texting a landline from a mobile phone is essentially a mix of texting another mobile phone and calling a landline. However, the steps involved, and the price for the service, can vary slightly between mobile providers, so be sure to read the section below that pertains to your provider.

The basic idea is to text the landline number as you would with any other mobile phone. Once your text is sent, it is converted into a voice message so you can listen to it on the phone.

When received, the landline recipient will hear your phone number at the beginning of the message. If they reply and respond, their message will be returned to you. If they do not, your text/audio message will be left on their voicemail system.