SMTP, which stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is the software that enables you to send e-mails from your email addresses. Without this, you will not be able to employ email applications or webmail. Whenever you send a message, your SMTP server creates a connection to a DNS server to find out where the e-mails for the recipient domain name are handled. After that, it connects to the remote email server and trades information. In case the recipient mail box is accessible, your server sends the email to the receiving POP/IMAP server and the latter delivers that e-mail to the precise mailbox in which the recipient can find it. If you would like to be able to send e-mails, it is best to make certain that the website hosting company provides the service with their plans. Even though you use an online form that visitors use to contact you, you will still require an active SMTP server for your hosting account for the form to work.