How does Google Chat SMS Actually Work?

Question

Moving to Google cloud life & just started using SMS feature in Google Chat, but I'm troubled by how it "seems" to work and can't find a straight answer.

The chat history details shows "mailed-by" as my contact's work email address domain. I thought these traveled exclusively through their mobile carrier service.

I'm worried that a couple messages sent to some devs I consult with on the side may be visible to their primary employers. Does Google really bounce these though one of the contact's email domains?

Answer 1

No, Google Chat does not bounce your SMS messages through to external domains. Solely using g-mail and a mobile phone (even without Google Talk app installed) you can still send and receive SMS from Google Chat contacts on your phone.

The relationship likely appears that way because of a configuration on your phone. You may have multiple pieces of contact information linked to that contact, and when you receive a SMS, it is using a different piece of contact information to represent who they are.

I would create a new contact using just their Google Talk SMS identifier. Set the contact display name to contain a capital G in it so you can tell it's from Google Talk, and remove the SMS identifier from the other contact entry. Send some information back and forth and test it out :)