Scripting SMTP with netcat

(echo EHLO $USER@$HOSTNAME
sleep 1
echo MAIL FROM: $USER@$HOSTNAME
sleep 1
echo RCPT TO: $EMAIL_TO
sleep 1
echo "DATA
From: $USER@HOSTNAME
To: $EMAIL_TO
Subject: $EMAIL_SUBJECT

$EMAIL_DATA"
sleep1
echo '.'
sleep 1
echo QUIT) | netcat mailserver.somewhere.org 25