Although I never thought I would use the words “Aliant” and “Cool” in the same paragraph, I must give them credit for finally turning on a neato feature on their digital cellular network: the ability to send real Internet email.

Previously you could send SMS messages to other cell phones right from the phone, but sending bona fide email meant entering the clunkoverse of their WAP browser, which is tantamount to inscribing messages on stone tablets.

Now that they’ve turned this feature on, I can send email to anyone with an Internet email address right from the phone. I’ve tested this feature several times, and messages have arrived almost instantaneously.

The only glitch: email messages from cell to Internet come “from” your phone number @txt.bell.ca (presumably because they’re using the Bell Canada SMS-to-Email gateway). If this email is replied to, it doesn’t ever reach the cell phone, and never bounces back unsent. Email addresses for Aliant phones, for some bazonko reason, are @wirefree.informe.ca.

I called Aliant Mobility about this, and they told me that I’m not actually supposed to be able to send email from cell to Internet, although they promised to get back to me to explain why it was that I can.

Still, it is cool.