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What is SMS? |
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Short message service (SMS) is a globally accepted wireless service that enables the transmission of alphanumeric messages between mobile subscribers and external systems such as electronic mail, paging and voice mail systems. |
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What are the benefits of SMS? |
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SMS provides a powerful vehicle for service differentiation. The benefits of SMS to the service provider are: |
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Increased call completion on wireless and wire-line networks by leveraging the notification capabilities of SMS |
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An alternative to alphanumeric paging services |
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Enabling wireless data access to corporate users |
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Provision of value added services such as email, voicemail and fax mail integration, reminder service, stock and currency quotes and airline schedules |
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Provision of key administrative services such as advice of charge, over the air downloading and service provisioning |
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Why use SMS? |
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SMS allows users to directly transmit messages to each other without the use of an operator (it is, however, necessary to have the underlying operator controlled wireless service). The first user can send a message to a mobile unit, via a direct connect computer. The SMS protocol of messaging is also "smarter" then standard paging. SMS is a store and forward method therefore, if the end user is not available, the mobile unit is powered off, or the unit is outside a service area, when the unit comes back on line the message will appear. A SMS message can also be sent "certified," where it will notify the message originator of the end user's receipt of the message. |
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How would you send an SMS Message over the Internet? |
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The front-end would simply be a section for the message (limit) and a destination address (mobile number). Then, based on your architecture, a lower layer would have to create the correct message based on the request or the message is generate server side. In the case of an end-user sending a message to a mobile unit, it would be a SMS-DELIVER message. Then entire message would then be "encapsulated" in a TCP/IP message and send to the appropriate Short Message Service Centre (SMSC). The MSC would then remove the TCP/IP layer from the message and process the message as if it were generated locally by an operator. |
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Can I get delivery reports for messages sent by me ? |
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Yes, for each SMS sent by you the status report on the website is updated upon delivery of the message. |
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Why is there a delay between sending a message and receiving the delivery report ? |
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While there will always be some delay between sending messages and receiving delivery reports this is usually for only a few minutes (or even seconds). These delays can be caused by problems such as poor network coverage (due to poor signal or high traffic) or handset failure (due to battery or a full message 'inbox'). |
