Short Message Service, abbreviated as SMS, is the communication service of short text messages over phone, fax machine, or IP address, using standardized communications protocols that allow the exchange of short text messages between fixed line or mobile phone devices. This form of text messaging is the most widely used data application all over the world, with 2.4 billion active users. The term SMS is used as a synonym for all types of short text messaging as well as the user activity itself in many parts of the world.
Messages must be no longer than 160 alphanumeric characters and contain no images or graphics. Once a message is sent, it is received by a Short Message Service Center (SMSC), from where it is taken to the appropriate mobile device. To do this, the SMSC sends a SMS Request to the Home Location Register (HLR) to find the roaming customer. On receiving the request, the HLR will respond to the SMSC with the subscriber's status, active or inactive, and where the subscriber is roaming. If the response is "inactive", then the SMSC will hold on the message for a specific period of time. When the subscriber accesses his device, the HLR sends a notification about the SMS to the SMSC, and the SMSC will attempt delivery.
The SMSC transfers the message in a short message delivery point to point format to the serving system. The system pings the device, and if it responds, the message gets delivered. On receiving verification that the message is received by the end user the SMSC categorizes the message as "sent" and does not attempt to send it again.
The software development companies engaged in mobile software development have enhanced many new features in SMS services. An interesting feature of SMS is return receipts. This means that the sender, if wishes, can get a notification if the SMS was delivered to the intended recipient. This notification is known as delivery report. As SMS uses signaling channel as opposed to dedicated channels, these messages can be sent or received simultaneously with the voice/data/fax service over a GSM network. SMS supports national and international roaming. This means that you can send short messages to any other GSM mobile user around the world.
SMS is similar to paging. However, SMS messages do not require the mobile phone to be active and within range. It can be held for a number of days until the phone is active and within range. SMS can be sent to digital phones in a number of ways, including:
• From one digital phone to another
• From Web-based applications within a Web browser
• From instant messaging clients like ICQ
• From VoIP applications like Skype
• From some unified communications applications developed by software development companies.
In recent years, SMS spam has become an issue for many users, as has SMiShing, a security attack in which the user is tricked and forced into downloading some kind of virus or other malware onto a cellular phone or other mobile device.
Author Resource:
Nick Thomas is the author of this article. He has been writing articles for many software development services like Q3 technologies. Moreover, he has been actively involved in providing useful content writing material related to mobile software development .
For more details, feel free to visit http://www.q3tech.com
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