SMS stands for short message service and is
a text message which is sent to or from a mobile device, fax
machine or a IP address. The SMS message must not contain
any image/graphics and must no longer be 160 characters per
message.
When a message is composed, the message is sent to the SMSC
(Short Message Service Center) and then from there, it is
sent to device specified. Before this though the SMSC must
determine if the message receiver is active or not. This is
done through HLR (Home Location Register).
HLR will receive a message from the SMSC and will respond
stating if the receiver is active or not and where the receiver
is roaming. If the respond is inactive then the SMSC will
hold the message until it can be delivered. If it response
comes back as active then the SMSC will attempt deliver and
if succeful, it will no longer hold the message.
SMS was developed as part of GSM phase 1 standard. The first
text message was thought to had been sent in 1992 and now
there are over 3 billion text messages sent in Europe.
The success of SMS came much of a surprise as there was little
marketing involved. With the introduction of WAP the netork
providers were hoping that this would take over from SMS but
this has not happened yet as SMS continues to become more
and more popular.
Text messages really took off between the years 1998 - 1999
in the time of the old pay as you go BT Cellnet (O2) U tariff
where it was 2p a text message this is where the craze really
started off together with cheap handsets. All of a sudden
that annoying text message arriveed sound was everywhere interupting
your meetings, lecturers, conversations etc. When this tariff
stopped SMS became a little more expensive but people could
not live without it and kept texting people at a rate of sometimes
20p a minute.
SMS is not just available to mobiles but certain telephones
have the ability to send text messages and so does the computer
through various websites. Many of these sites offer free sign
up and offer you a certain amount of free text messages a
day, if you go over this you will have to pay to get anymore
credits to text.
The main commercial development of SMS is ringtones. Many
ringtone providers use SMS to sell their ringtones. For each
ringtone they will provide a keyword in which the consumer
will text to a particular number to obtain the ringtone. This
is where many people will send a lot of their SMS's to believe
it or not.
With the release of 3G and the upcomming 4G mobile phone
technology who knows where SMS will end up in the future.
Maybe email will take over, possibly MMS which is similar
to SMS but it has the capabilities of taking sounds and images
attached within it. |
