What is SMS?
Short Messaging Service, otherwise known as text messaging, mobile messaging, or alphanumeric paging is a digital cellular network feature. It lets you send short text and numeric messages to and from digital cell phones, cell phones and e-mail addresses, as well as cell phones and public SMS messaging gateways on the Internet.

SMS is convenient and cost effective for a number of reasons. When you compare it with the cost of airtime for voice calls or wireless web access, SMS is a real bargain. Messages can be received while making voice calls, and there are no busy signals to contend with. Plus, if you should you find yourself in a situation where talking on a cell phone is inappropriate, SMS is silent and discreet. Messages generated by SMS are immediately delivered directly to your phone. There is no need to call an access number, as is the case with voice-mail. Also, most carriers offer SMS alerts (information packets, such as stock quotes, sports scores, and news) that can be delivered to your phone at regularly scheduled intervals.

Currently, there are approximately 30 billion SMS messages sent globally each month, with the majority of that traffic occurring in Western Europe and Asia. In North America most major cellular providers offer either one-way or two-way SMS to their subscribers. With one-way service, you can receive messages; while with two-way service, you can both receive and send messages.

The Short Message Service (SMS), as defined within the GSM digital mobile phone standard has several unique features:

• A single short message can be up to 160 characters of text in length. Those 160 characters can comprise of words or numbers or an alphanumeric combination. Non-text based short messages (for example, in binary format) are also supported. These are used for ringtones and logos services for instance.

• The Short Message Service is a store and forward service, in other words, short messages are not sent directly from sender to recipient, but always via an SMS Center instead. Each mobile telephone network that supports SMS has one or more messaging centers to handle and manage the short messages.

• The Short Message Service features confirmation of message delivery. This means that unlike paging, users do not simply send a short message and trust and hope that it gets delivered. Instead the sender of the short message can receive a return message back notifying them whether the short message has been delivered or not.

• Short messages can be sent and received simultaneously with GSM voice, Data and Fax calls. This is possible because whereas voice, Data and Fax calls take over a dedicated radio channel for the duration of the call, short messages travel over and above the radio channel using the signaling path. As such, users of SMS rarely if ever get a busy or engaged signal as they can do during peak network usage times.

• Ways of sending multiple short messages are available. SMS concatenation (stringing several short messages together) and SMS compression (getting more than 160 characters of information within a single short message) have been defined and incorporated in the GSM SMS standards.

To use the Short Message Service, users need the relevant subscriptions and hardware, specifically:

• a subscription to a mobile telephone network that supports SMS

• use of SMS must be enabled for that user (automatic access to the SMS is given by some mobile network operators, others charge a monthly subscription and require a specific opt-in to use the service)

• a mobile phone that supports SMS

• knowledge of how to send or read a short message using their specific model of mobile phone

• a destination to send a short message to, or receive a message from. This is usually another mobile phone but may be a fax machine, PC or Internet address.

What is the difference between SMS, Instant Messaging Service (IMS), and e-mail?
E-mail is by far the most popular messaging service currently in use in North America. Although both e-mail and SMS are "store and forward" systems that utilize a gateway to pass messages from senders to recipients, the most obvious difference between the two are the length and complexity of the messages. SMS messages are limited to between 80 to 500 characters depending on the service provider. A typical SMS message weighs in at about 120 characters.

While e-mail lets you attach files, imbed images, and make use of HTML, SMS messages are limited to text and numeral display. However, there are a few exceptions. The Nextel SMS service lets you automatically make calls from phone numbers appearing in the message text - -much like a hypertext link in an e-mail. Also, on European GSM cellular networks, SMS messages delivered to Nokia phones may have distinct ring tones or graphics attached.

On the other hand, Instant Messaging Service (IMS), made popular by AOL Instant Messenger, allows you to have virtual real-time text conversations (or chat) with people who are simultaneously connected to the Internet. SMS messages are immediate, but not simultaneous. SMS messages are sent to and processed by a Short Message Service Center, which then delivers the message to the intended recipient''s cell phone. If a message is sent to a phone that is turned off, the service center will store it and try to redeliver it for a period of 3 to 7 days, depending on the service provider.

Which companies offer SMS, and how much does it cost?
Today, most major cellular providers-- Airtel, Idea Cellular, BPL Mobile, Nextel, Cingular, Verizon, Sprint PCS, AT&T Wireless, VoiceStream, and US Cellular--offer some form of SMS. Features and costs vary widely from carrier to carrier, so it is best to check the FAQ pages about mobile messaging, or SMS, at your service provider''s web site.

Keep in mind that messages can only be sent from your phone or pager to other phones or pagers within your network. You can send messages across networks if you use a public SMS messaging gateway, send from an e-mail account, or send from a PC equipped with text messaging software.

Some questions you should consider when comparing carriers include:

• How long are messages held by the carrier for delivery when your phone is offline?
• How many messages can be stored in the inbox?
• Is one-way messaging (receive), or two-way messaging (send and receive) available in your service area, and while roaming?
• Which features are provided through your carrier''s public SMS gateway?
• Are SMS alerts (news, sports scores, etc.) available?

In general, companies offer messaging free of charge as part of select service plans, for a per message fee, or for a monthly fee, which includes a set number of messages. If you purchase a plan that has a per message fee, incoming messages will cost less than outbound messages, and are only a few cents. If you cannot get free SMS with the service plan you''ve chosen, and plan to send or receive many messages, a monthly plan is generally more cost effective than a per message plan.In INDIA all cellular operators are charging for outgoing messages only and incoming messsages are absolutely free.

Which devices are compatible with SMS?
The most common devices used with SMS are digital cell phones equipped with one-way receive SMS capability. A number of digital pagers also have this feature. If you own an analog cell phone, or one that is several years old, chances are it will not be compatible with SMS. Check with your cellular carrier to be certain.

Newer model cell phones from a number of companies like Nokia and Motorola are equipped with two-way messaging. A number of advanced pagers sporting tiny QWERTY keyboards are also equipped with two-way SMS. If you are purchasing an SMS-equipped phone or pager, check with the service providers to see which models are compatible with the various networks.

Also, look for a phone that has predictive text input, or Tegic T9 software. Predictive text input makes typing long messages with a typical 12-button phone keypad significantly easier. Rather than having to punch a key multiple times to select the appropriate letter -- for instance punching the #2 key once for A, twice for B, and three times for C -- you can simply spell out a word. The software will guess the word you are trying to spell and fill in the blanks, therefore reducing the overall number of key punches.

The increasingly popular pagers from Research in Motion (RIM) that work with BlackBerry service use a messaging system different from SMS. BlackBerry operates on packet-switched networks, and therefore works more like a PC-based e-mail system than phone-based SMS. Messages can be longer, and can run through a single established e-mail account, such as your office e-mail address. However, Cingular offers Interactive Messaging PLUS, which is SMS-based, and compatible with the RIM 950 and 957 pagers.

Currently wireless service providers catering to the handheld market do not offer SMS. Like the BlackBerry service, these providers depend on networks that use a different system than SMS. Messages to and from hand helds work in conjunction with standard e-mail, but images are often stripped out.

How do you send and receive messages?
Once you have subscribed to SMS through your service provider, receiving messages is easy. Most phones will display an incoming message alert graphic on the screen. Depending on the device, you may also set a tone to sound when incoming messages arrive. Once a message is received, you can use the scroll keys on your phone or pager to view the message text. Options to store, reply, or forward each message will be available at that time.

It is also easy to send a message. The exact procedure varies from device to device, but it usually involves entering the recipient''s phone number or e-mail address, and then composing the message with the phone keypad. You may have the option to send the message instantly or store it for later delivery.

How do you use public gateways to send messages?
Cellular service providers who offer SMS also offer public SMS gateways, which allow you to compose and send messages from the service provider''s web site. A number of independently operated message gateways also exist on the Internet. Some gateways have more features than others. A few let you compose messages to more than one recipient, create group lists, manage messages, and send pre-set or customized replies.

By using a public gateway you can send a message to a device on another network, and friends or business associates without SMS-equipped phones or pagers can send messages to you. If you don''t have access to your e-mail account, or an SMS-equipped phone, a public gateway (available from any computer with Internet access) is a convenient way keep in contact.

Unfortunately, the one drawback to using public gateways is file security. Unlike Web transmissions that occur as secure transactions, any third party could monitor the cell phone number and message contents when a message is sent through a public gateway. Messages sent from phone to phone through Short Message Service Centers are more secure, but the possibility exists that these transmissions could also be monitored.

Guide to SMS support on different networks

Since its inclusion in the GSM standard, SMS has also been incorporated into many other mobile phone network standards, including Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) in Japan. Each of these standards implements SMS in slightly different ways and message lengths do vary. The availability and characteristics of SMS on different mobile network standards is:

The message length within GSM for short messages using non-European alphabets such as Chinese or Arabic is shorter.

GSM: Because of the use of three different network standards, the whole mobile market in the USA is complicated and splintered, and SMS does not survive unscathed in such an environment. GSM has long supported two-way SMS commercially in North America. SMS national interconnects, allowing short messages to be sent between different GSM networks, are patchy, although consolidation amongst the carriers and the GSM Alliance, an industry association set up to develop GSM in North America, has driven the introduction of national SMS roaming. (See http://www.gsm-pcs.org/).

NMT: The Nordic Mobile Telecommunications (NMT) 450/ 900 analog standard introduced Sort Message Service as part of its "Plus features", announced in early 1998, which also includes features such as caller line identity and voice mail indication. NMT Short Message Service is dependent upon the Mobile Station supporting the Message Waiting Indicator (MWI), another NMT Plus feature. In early 1998, none of the installed base of NMT phones supported MWI. As such subscribers want into use NMT SMS must subscribe to a mobile network that has an NMT-compliant SMS Center such as that from CMG and obtain a mobile phone that supports Message Waiting Indicator from the likes of Benefon and Nokia. When a short message is being sent to an NMT subscriber, the Mobile Station is located and the Message Waiting Indicator is forwarded to the Mobile Station. The MWI is sent by means of a normal voice call that is cleared before the mobile phone rings. The Mobile Station then fetches the short message(s) by an automatic or semi-automatic call to the SMS Center. NMT SMS calls use a radio channel just like a GSM voice or Data call would, as opposed to using the signaling channel as is the case with GSM Short Message Service. Centertel in Poland was the first mobile network to launch SMS over NMT commercially.

PERSONAL HANDYPHONE SYSTEM (PHS): Two different kinds of SMS are supported on PHS networks- real-time and store and forward.

PERSONAL DIGITAL CELLULAR (PDC): SMS is supported by the Japanese Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) standard.

NORTH AMERICA
The United States tried to agree upon one air interface that all network carriers would deploy, but never came to a consensus on which one to use. The Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") held tests in 1989 to identify the practicality of multiple submittals for different system architectures. The FCC adopted a consistent pattern of allowing the industry and the marketplace to dictate what standard was to be used, and gave operators and manufacturers the right to choose their preferred system. Support by different operators and equipment manufacturers resulted in the deployment of Time Division Multiple Access ("TDMA") and Code Division Multiple Access ("CDMA"). The main supporters of TDMA were in favor of time to market with a digital offering, while the CDMA supporters were in favor of increased network efficiencies and voice quality. The first US TDMA system went commercial in Chicago in 1993 by Southwestern Bell’s Cellular One. The first US CDMA system went commercial in Los Angeles in 1996 by AirTouch Communications. The introduction of new PCS licenses in the US allowed new operators to choose from CDMA, TDMA, and from the US derivative of GSM at 1900 MHz.. These new PCS systems have been commercial since late in 1995, American Personal Communications offering service first. There are three main types of digital mobile networks in North America, shown in the table below with approximate indications of their adoption by PCS license holders:

Because of the use of three different network standards, the whole mobile market in the USA is complicated and splintered, and SMS does not survive unscathed in such an environment.

NAMPS:The analog Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone System supports short messages of up to 14 alphanumeric characters in length or 32 numeric characters.

TDMA Two way SMS has now gone live on several TDMA networks around the world including on AT&T Wireless in the USA.

CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) is an air interface technology that was developed by the US military and commercialized by a US company called Qualcomm. (See http://www.cdg.org/ ). CDMA supports SMS Mobile Terminate with a message length of 120 characters. Two way SMS is now available on CDMA networks and has been launched by networks such as Verizon Wireless in the USA. Other CDMA networks such as Sprint PCS have chosen NOT to implement two-way SMS.

See also http://www.mobilecdma.com/ for more information on CDMA data technologies.

IDEN/NEXTEL: Motorola iDEN (integrated Digital Enhanced Network) is a TDMA-based digital network standard that is used by networks such as Nextel in the US. iDEN features group and private call services, Caller Identity, data transmission at 4,800 or 9,600 bps and text messages of up to 140 characters per message, with 16 alphanumeric message slots per iDEN phone. (See http://www.motorola.com/iden).

GLOBALSTAR: Globalstar is one of the leading global mobile satellite system suppliers. Globalstar has been very sensible in adopting many of the features of GSM such as SimCards. It will also offer SMS to the GSM specifications. This means that a user with a dual mode GSM/ Globalstar mobile phone will be able to receive short messages even when they are outside of GSM coverage. If the user has a dual mode CDMA/ Globalstar mobile phone, then they will be able to receive the CDMA equivalent of SMS wherever they are in the world. (See http://www.globalstar.com/

What is SMS? - A text book 1. Introduction 2. Customer Usage and Market Growth SMS Volumes per European Market Network Operator Message Quantities and Growth 3. SMS Messaging Milestones 1. FIRST GENERATION SMS CENTRE 2. VOICE MAIL NOTIFICATION AND SMS MOBILE TERMINATE 3. SMS MOBILE ORIGINATE 4. EMAIL 5. INFORMATION SERVICES 6. BUSINESS PARTNERS PROGRAM 7. SECOND GENERATION SMS CENTER 8. NATIONAL SMS INTERWORKING 9. SMS FOR PREPAYMENT 10. PREDICTIVE TEXT INPUT PHONES 11. STANDARDIZED PROTOCOLS E.G. WAP 12. TERMINAL DEVELOPMENTS E.G. SMART, HANDHELD COMPUTERS   4. Consumer Applications using SMS SIMPLE PERSON TO PERSON MESSAGING VOICE AND FAX MAIL NOTIFICATIONS UNIFIED MESSAGING INTERNET EMAIL ALERTS PREPAYMENT RINGTONES CHAT INFORMATION SERVICES 5. Corporate Applications using SMS CORPORATE EMAIL AFFINITY PROGRAMS MOBILE BANKING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE CUSTOMER SERVICE VEHICLE POSITIONING JOB DISPATCH REMOTE POINT OF SALE OVER-THE-AIR REMOTE MONITORING 6. SMS Roaming NATIONAL SMS INTERWORKING INTERNATIONAL SMS ROAMING 7. SMS Phone Features 8. SIM Application Toolkit 9. Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 10. The Future of SMS- Introducing the Long Message Service 11. SMS Centers Comparison CONNECTIVITY COST DEPLOYMENT FUTURE-PROOF GLOBAL RELIABILITY HARDWARE 12. Summary     1. Introduction The Short Message Service (SMS) is the ability to send and receive text messages to and from mobile telephones. The text can comprise of words or numbers or an alphanumeric combination. SMS was created as part of the GSM Phase 1 standard. The first short message is believed to have been sent in December 1992 from a Personal Computer (PC) to a mobile phone on the Vodafone GSM network in the UK. Each short message is up to 160 characters is length when Latin alphabets are used, and 70 characters in length when non-Latin alphabets such as Arabic and Chinese are used. 2. Customer Usage and Market Growth There is no doubting the success of the Short Message Service- the market in Europe alone has reached over one billion messages despite little proactive marketing by network operators and phone manufacturers. Key market drivers over the next two years such as the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) will continue this growth path. SMS VOLUMES PER EUROPEAN MARKET The SMS market in the European Union reached one billion short messages per month in April 1999. The market size thereby doubled in about six months. Very approximate market sizes are:   Country SMS messages per month Germany 200 million Hosted by www.Geocities.ws