In case you have a hosting package and you create an email address, you might consider the option to send and receive messages for granted, but in fact, this isn't always the case. Sending e-mails isn't always part of the website hosting packages that companies feature and an SMTP service is needed to be capable to do that. The abbreviation stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and this is the piece of software that allows you to send emails. If you are using an e-mail application, it creates a connection to the SMTP server. The latter then queries the DNS records of the domain name, that is a part of the receiving address to find out what mail server handles its emails. After some system information is swapped, your SMTP server delivers the e-mail to the remote IMAP or POP server and then the e-mail is finally delivered in the corresponding mailbox. An SMTP server is required if you are using some kind of contact form as well, so in case you have a cost-free hosting package, for example, it is likely that you won't be able to make use of this type of form as many no charge hosting companies do not allow outgoing e-mails.