Definition & Overview Definition 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. Introduction SMS appeared on the wireless scene in 1 1 in !urope. "he !uropean standard for digital wireless, now #nown as the $lobal System for Mobile %ommunications ($SM), included short messaging services from the outset. &n 'orth (merica, SMS was made available initially on digital wireless networ#s built by early pioneers such as )ellSouth Mobility, *rime%o, and 'extel, among others. "hese digital wireless networ#s are based on $SM, code division multiple access (%+M(), and time division multiple access ("+M() standards. 'etwor# consolidation from mergers and ac,uisitions has resulted in large wireless networ#s having nationwide or international coverage and sometimes supporting more than one wireless technology. "his new class of service providers demands networ#-grade products that can easily provide a uniform solution, enable ease of operation and administration, and accommodate existing subscriber capacity, message throughput, future growth, and services reliably. Short messaging service center (SMS%) solutions based on an intelligent networ# (&') approach are well suited to satisfy these re,uirements, while adding all the benefits of &' implementations. -igure 1 represents the basic networ# architecture for an &S./1 SMS% deployment handling multiple input sources, including a voice-mail system (0MS), 1eb-based messaging, e-mail integration, and other external short message entities (!SM!s). %ommunication with the wireless networ# elements such as the home location register (234) and mobile switching center (MS%) is achieved through the signal transfer point (S"*).

Picture 1. Basic Network Architecture for an SMS Deplo !ent "IS#$1%

SMS provides a mechanism for transmitting short messages to and from wireless devices. "he service ma#es use of an SMS%, which acts as a store-and-forward system for short messages. "he wireless networ# provides the mechanisms re,uired to find the destination station(s) and transports short messages between the SMS%s and wireless stations. &n contrast to other existing text-message transmission services such as alphanumeric paging, the service elements are designed to provide guaranteed delivery of text messages to the destination. (dditionally, SMS supports several input mechanisms that allow interconnection with different message sources and destinations. ( distinguishing characteristic of the service is that an active mobile handset is able to receive or submit a short message at any time, independent of whether a voice or data call is in progress (in some implementations, this may depend on the MS% or SMS% capabilities). SMS also guarantees delivery of the short message by the networ#. "emporary failures due to unavailable receiving stations are identified, and the short message is stored in the SMS% until the destination device becomes available. SMS is characteri5ed by out-of-band pac#et delivery and low-bandwidth message transfer, which results in a highly efficient means for transmitting short bursts of data. &nitial applications of SMS focused on eliminating alphanumeric pagers by permitting two-way general-purpose messaging and notification services, primarily for voice mail. (s technology and networ#s evolved, a variety of services have been introduced, including e-mail, fax, and paging integration, interactive ban#ing, information services such as stoc# ,uotes, and integration with &nternet-based applications. 1ireless data applications include downloading of subscriber identity module (S&M) cards for activation, debit, profile-editing purposes, wireless points of sale (*6Ss), and other fieldservice applications such as automatic meter reading, remote sensing, and location-based services. (dditionally, integration with the &nternet spurred the development of 1ebbased messaging and other interactive applications such as instant messaging, gaming, and chatting. Benefits of SMS

&n today7s competitive world, differentiation is a significant factor in the success of the service provider. 6nce the basic services, such as voice telephony, are deployed, SMS provides a powerful vehicle for service differentiation. &f the mar#et allows for it, SMS can also represent an additional source of revenue for the service provider. "he benefits of SMS to subscribers center around convenience, flexibility, and seamless integration of messaging services and data access. -rom this perspective, the primary benefit is the ability to use the handset as an extension of the computer. SMS also eliminates the need for separate devices for messaging because services can be integrated into a single wireless device8the mobile terminal. "hese benefits normally depend on the applications that the service provider offers. (t a minimum, SMS benefits include the following9 +elivery of notifications and alert $uaranteed message deliver 4eliable, low-cost communication mechanism for concise information (bility to screen messages and return calls in a selective way &ncreased subscriber productivity More sophisticated functionality provides the following enhanced subscriber benefits9 +elivery of messages to multiple subscribers at a time (bility to receive diverse information !-mail generation %reation of user groups &ntegration with other data and &nternet-based applications "he benefits of SMS to the service provider are as follows (bility to increment average revenue per user (due to increased number of calls on wireless and wireline networ#s by leveraging the notification capabilities of SMS) (n alternative to alphanumeric paging services, which may replace or complement an existing paging offer (bility to enable wireless data access for corporate users 'ew revenue streams resulting from addition of value-added services such as e-mail, voice mail, fax, and 1eb-based application integration, reminder service, stoc# and currency ,uotes, and airline schedules *rovision of #ey administrative services such as advice of charge, over-the-

air downloading, and over-the-air service provisioning *rotection of important networ# resources (such as voice channels), due to SMS: sparing use of the control and traffic channels 'otification mechanisms for newer services such as those utili5ing wireless application protocol (1(*) (ll of these benefits are attainable ,uic#ly, with modest incremental cost and short paybac# periods, which ma#e SMS an attractive investment for service providers. Network &le!ents & Architecture

"he basic networ# structure of SMS in an &S-/1 networ# is depicted in Picture 1. &'ternal Short Messa(in( &ntities (n !SM! is a device that may receive or send short messages. "he short message entity (SM!) may be located in the fixed networ#, a mobile device, or another service center. )MS - "he 0MS is responsible for receiving, storing, and playing voice messages intended for a subscriber that was busy or not available to ta#e a voice call. &t is also responsible for sending voice-mail notifications for those subscribers to the SMS%. *e+ - "he growth of the &nternet has also affected the world of SMS. "herefore, it is almost mandatory to support interconnections to the 1orld 1ide 1eb for the submission of messages and notifications. "he increasing number of &nternet users has a positive impact on the SMS traffic increment experienced in the last few years. &#Mail - *robably the most demanded application of SMS is the ability to deliver e-mail notifications and to support two-way e-mail, using an SMS-compliant terminal. "he SMS% must support interconnection to e-mail servers acting as message input;output mechanisms. Others - "here are several other mechanisms to submit short messages to the SMS% that include, but are not limited to, paging networ#s, speciali5ed software for *%-based messaging and operator bureaus.

SMS, SMS% is a combination of hardware and software responsible for the relaying and storing and forwarding of a short message between an SM! and mobile device. "he SMS% must have high reliability, subscriber capacity, and message throughput. &n addition, the system should be easily scalable to accommodate growing demand for SMS in the networ#. 'ormally, an &'-based solution will allow for a lower entry cost compared to point solutions because it can support other applications on a single hardware platform and share resources, thereby spreading the deployment cost over several services and applications. (nother factor to be considered is the ease of operation and maintenance of the application, as well as the flexibility to activate new services and upgrade to new software releases. "he benefits of SMS to the service provider are as follows (bility to increment average revenue per user (due to increased number of calls on wireless and wireline networ#s by leveraging the notification capabilities of SMS) (n alternative to alphanumeric paging services, which may replace or complement an existing paging offer (bility to enable wireless data access for corporate users 'ew revenue streams resulting from addition of value-added services such as e-mail, voice mail, fax, and 1eb-based application integration, reminder service, stoc# and currency ,uotes, and airline schedules *rovision of #ey administrative services such as advice of charge, over-theair downloading, and over-the-air service provisioning *rotection of important networ# resources (such as voice channels), due to SMS: sparing use of the control and traffic channels 'otification mechanisms for newer services such as those utili5ing wireless application protocol (1(*) Si(nal -ransfer Point "he S"* is a networ# element normally available on &' deployments that allows &S-/1 interconnections over signaling system < (SS<) lin#s with multiple networ# elements.

./0 "he 234 is a database used for permanent storage and management of subscriptions and service profiles. =pon interrogation by the SMS%, the 234 provides the routing information for the indicated subscriber. (lso, if the destination station was not available when the message delivery was attempted, the 234 informs the SMS% that the station is now recogni5ed by the mobile networ# to be accessible, and thus the message can be delivered. )isitor /ocation 0e(ister ")/0% "he visitor location register is a database that contains temporary information about subscribers homed in one 234 who are roaming into another 234. "his information is needed by the MS% to service visiting subscribers. MS, "he MS% performs the switching functions of the system and controls calls to and from other telephone and data systems. "he MS% will deliver the short message to the specific mobile subscriber through the proper base station. Air Inteface "he air interface is defined in each one of the different wireless technologies ($SM, "+M(, and %+M(). "hese standards specify how the voice or data signals are transferred from the MS% to the handset and bac#, as well as the utili5ation of transmission fre,uencies, considering the available bandwidth and the system:s capacity constraints. -he Base Station S ste! (ll functions related to the transmission of electromagnetic radio signals between the MS% and the mobile devices are performed in the base station ()S). "he )S consists of base station controllers ()S%s) and the base transceiver stations ()"Ss), also #nown as cell sites or simply >cells.? "he )S% may control one or more )"Ss and is in charge of the proper resource assignment when a subscriber moves from one sector of one )"S to another, regardless of whether the next sector lies within the same )"S or in a different one. -he Mo+ile Device "he mobile device is the wireless terminal capable of receiving and originating short messages. %ommonly, these devices have been digital cellular phones, but more recently the application of SMS has been extended to other terminals such as *6S, handheld computers, and personal digital assistants (*+(s). "he wireless networ# signaling infrastructure is based on SS<. SMS ma#es use of the mobile application part (M(*), which defines the methods and mechanisms of communication in wireless networ#s and employs the services of the SS< transactional capabilities application part ("%(*). (n SMS service layer ma#es use of the M(* signaling capabilities and enables the transfer of short messages between the peer entities.

"he capabilities of the terminal vary depending on the wireless technology supported by the terminal. Some functionality, although defined in the SMS specification for a given wireless technology, may not be fully supported in the terminal, which may represent a limitation in the services that the carrier can provide. "his trend, however, is disappearing as service providers: merger and ac,uisition activity demands uniform functionality across all the constituents of the parent companies. (lso, some manufacturers may include additional functionality, not considered in the specification, attempting to offer a more attractive product for service providers as well as end users. "his will be the case more often as service provider continue to incorporate SMS into their revenue-generating and customer-loyalty strategies.

Si(nalin( &le!ents

&"he M(* layer defines the operations necessary to support SMS. )oth (merican and international standards bodies have defined a M(* layer using the services of the SS< "%(*. "he (merican standard is published by "elecommunication &ndustry (ssociation and is referred to as &S-/1. "he international standard is defined by the !uropean "elecommunications Standards &nstitute (!"S&) and is referred to as $SM M(*. "he following basic M(* operations are necessary to provide the end-to-end SMS9 0outin( Infor!ation 0e1uest - )efore attempting delivery of a short message, the SMS% must receive routing information to determine the serving MS% for the mobile device at the time of the delivery attempt. "his is accomplished by way of an interrogation of the destination handset:s 234, which is accomplished via the use of the SMSre,uest and Send4outing&nfo-orShortMsg mechanisms in &S-/1 and $SM, respectively. Point#to#Point Short Messa(e Deliver - "he mechanism provides a means for the SMS% to transfer a short message to the MS% that is serving the addressed mobile device. (fter the address of said MS% has been obtained from the station:s 234, the short message delivery operation provides a confirmed delivery service. "he operation wor#s in con@unction with the base station subsystem while the message is being forwarded from the MS% to the MS. "herefore, the outcome of the operation comprises either success (such as delivery to the mobile) or failure caused by one of several possible reasons. "he point-to-point short

message delivery is accomplished via the use of the short message delivery-point-to-point (SM+-**) and forwardShortMessage mechanisms in &S-/1 and $SM, respectively. Short Messa(e *aitin( Indication - "he operation is activated when a short message delivery attempt by the SMS% fails due to a temporary failure, such as the station being unregistered, and provides a means for the SMS% to re,uest the 234 to notify the SMS% when the indicated mobile device becomes available. "his short message waiting indication is reali5ed via the use of the SMSAnotification indicator and setAmessageAwaitingAdata mechanisms in &S-/1 and $SM, respectively. Service ,enter Alert - "he operation provides a means for the 234 to inform the SMS%, which has re,uested a notification that a specific mobile device is now recogni5ed by the mobile networ# to be available. "his service center alert is accomplished via the use of the SMSAnotification and alertAserviceAcenter mechanisms in &S-/1 and $SM, respectively. Service &le!ents SMS is comprised of several service elements relevant to the reception and submission of short messages9 Messa(e &'piration - "he SMS% will store and reattempt delivery of messages for unavailable recipients until either the delivery is successful or the expiration time - set on a per-message basis or on a platform-wide basis - arrives. Priorit - "his is the information element provided by an SM! to indicate the urgent messages and differentiate them from the normal priority messages. =rgent messages usually ta#e priority over normal messages, regardless of the time of arrival to the SMS% platform. Messa(e &scalation - "he SMS% stores the message for a period no longer than the expiration time (it is assumed that the escalation time is smaller than the expiration time associated with the message), and after said escalation time expires, the message will be sent to an alternate message system (such as a paging networ# or an email server) for delivery to the user. &n addition, SMS provides a time stamp reporting the time of submission of the message to the SMS% and an indication to the handset of whether or not there are more messages to send ($SM) or the number of additional messages to send (&S-/1).

Su+scri+er Services SMS comprises two basic point-to-point services9 Mobile-originated short message (M6-SM) Mobile-terminated short message (M"-SM) Mobile-originated (M6) short messages are transported from the M6-capable handset to the SMS% and can be destined to other mobile subscribers or for subscribers on fixed networ#s such as paging networ#s or &nternet protocol (&*) networ#s (including the &nternet and private e-mail networ#s). Mobile-terminated (M") short messages are transported from the SMS% to the handset and can be submitted to the SMS% by other mobile subscribers via M6-SM or by other sources such as voice-mail systems, paging networ#s, or operators. Mobile-originated (M6) short messages are transported from the M6-capable handset to the SMS% and can be destined to other mobile subscribers or for subscribers on fixed networ#s such as paging networ#s or &nternet protocol (&*) networ#s (including the &nternet and private e-mail networ#s). Mobile-terminated (M") short messages are transported from the SMS% to the handset and can be submitted to the SMS% by other mobile subscribers via M6-SM or by other sources such as voice-mail systems, paging networ#s, or operators. -or M"-SM, a report is always returned to the SMS% either confirming the short message delivery to the handset or informing the SMS% of the short message delivery failure and identifying the reason for failure (cause code). Similarly, for M6-SM, a report is always returned to the handset either confirming the short message delivery to the SMS% or informing of delivery failure and identifying the reason. +epending on the access method and the encoding of the bearer data, the point-to-point short messaging service conveys up to 1 B characters to an SM! in $SM networ#s and from 1CB to CBD in &S-/1 networ#s. &n $SM networ#s, the type of messaging service is identified by the protocol identifier information element, which identifies the higher-level protocol or interwor#ing being used. !xamples are telex, group E telefax, F./BB messaging, !uropean 4adio Messaging System (!4M!S), and voice telephone. &n &S-/1 networ#s, the service type is distinguished by use of the teleservice identifier. )asic teleservices include the following9 %ellular messaging teleservice (%M") %ellular paging teleservice (%*") 0oice-mail notification teleservice (0M')

%M" differs from the %*" due to the inclusion of a reply mechanism that enables a user or networ# ac#nowledgment to be selected on a per-message basis. "he user ac#nowledgment includes a response code that paves the way for powerful interactive services between SMS%s. Many service applications can be implemented by combining these service elements. (side from the obvious notification services, SMS can be used in one-way or interactive services providing wireless access to any type of information anywhere. )y leveraging new emerging technologies that combine browsers, servers, and new mar#up languages designed for mobile terminals, SMS can enable wireless devices to securely access and send information from the &nternet or intranets ,uic#ly and cost-efficiently. 6ne of these technologies where SMS can provide a cooperative, rather than a competitive, approach is the 1(*, which allows transport of data for mobile wireless users. ( generic networ# infrastructure for reali5ing the innovative SMS services is depicted in *icture C. Picture 2. Network Infrastructure

Some of the potential applications of SMS technology, utili5ing both M"-SM and M6SM where appropriate, include the following9 Notification Services - 'otification services are currently the most widely deployed SMS services. !xamples of notification services using SMS include the following9

0oice;fax message notification, which indicates that voice or fax mail messages are present in a voice mailbox !-mail notification, which indicates that e-mail messages are present in an e-mail mailbox 4eminder;calendar services, which enable reminders for meetings and scheduled appointment &#!ail Interworkin( - !xisting e-mail services can be easily integrated with SMS to provide e-mail to short messaging and mobile e-mail and message escalation. Pa(in( Interworkin( - *aging services integrated with SMS allow digital wireless subscribers to be accessible via existing paging interfaces, as well as escalation of messages. Infor!ation Services - ( wide variety of information services can be provided by the SMS, including weather reports, traffic information, entertainment information (e.g., cinema, theater, concerts), financial information (e.g., stoc# ,uotes, exchange rates, ban#ing, bro#erage services), and directory assistance. SMS can support both push (M") and pull (M6) approaches to allow not only delivery under specific conditions but also delivery on demand, as a response to a re,uest. *AP Inte(ration - SMS can deliver notifications for new 1(* messages to wireless subscribers but can also be used as the transport mechanism for 1(* messages. "hese messages can contain diverse information from sources that include databases, the 1orld 1ide 1eb, e-mail servers, etc. Mo+ile Data Services "he SMS% can also be used to provide short wireless data. "he wireless data may be in interactive services where voice calls are involved. Some examples of this type of service include fleet dispatch, inventory management, itinerary confirmation, sales order processing, asset trac#ing, automatic vehicle location, and customer contact management. 6ther examples may be interactive gaming, instant messaging, mobile chat, ,uery services, mobile ban#ing, etc. ,usto!er ,are and Mana(e!ent "he SMS% can also be used to transfer binary data that can be interpreted by the mobile device without presentation to the customer. "his capability allows the operators to

administer their customers by providing a mechanism for programming the mobile device. !xamples of such services include mobile device programming, which allows customer profiles and subscription characteristics to be downloaded to the mobile device (customers can be activated;deactivated based on the data downloaded) and advice of charge, which enables the SMS to be used to report charges incurred for the phone call (e.g., calls made when roaming). 6ne interesting method to provide customer support is to offer a list of answers to fre,uently as#ed ,uestions via short message. SMS also can be used to distribute general information about other products and services being offered by the service provider, thus guaranteeing maximum penetration of the advertising over the existing customer base. &n a different scenario, a service provider may want to deliver short messages to subscribers to remind them of, for example, past-due payments, instead of reminding them over traditional mail or courier delivery, therefore reducing cost and ensuring that the message is delivered to its destination in a timely manner.

Mo+ile#-er!inated Short Messa(e &'a!ple

*icture E depicts the successful M".SM scenario for $SM. Picture 3. M-4SM Scenario "5SM%

1. "he short message is submitted from the !SM! to the SMS%. C. (fter completing its internal processing, the SMS% interrogates

the 234 and receives the routing information for the mobile subscriber. "he SMS% sends the short message to the MS% using the E. forward short message operation. "he MS% retrieves the subscriber information from the 034. /. "his operation may include an authentication procedure. D. "he MS% transfers the short message to the MS. "he MS% returns to the SMS% the outcome of the G. forwardShortMessage operation. &f re,uested by the !SM!, the SMS% returns a status report <. indicating delivery of the short message. Picture $. M- Short Messa(e Scenario "IS4$1%

1. "he short message is submitted from the !SM! to the SMS%. "he SMS% sends an ac#nowledgement to the !SM!, indicating C. reception of t he short message. (fter completing its internal processing, the SMS% interrogates E. the 234. "he 234 sends the routing information for the mobile subscriber /. to the SMS%. "he SMS% sends the short message to the MS% using the D. SMS+** &nvo#e

operation. G. "he MS% transfers the short message to the MS. <. "he MS returns an ac#nowledgement to the MS%. "he MS% returns to the SMS% the outcome of the SMS+** H. operation. &f re,uested by the !SM!, the SMS% returns a delivery receipt . indicating successful delivery of the short message.

Mo+ile#Ori(inated Short Messa(e &'a!ple *icture D depicts the successful M6.SM scenario, utili5ing the $SM method. "he &S./1 method for the M6-SM scenario is depicted in *icture G. Picture 6. MO4SM Scenario "5SM%

1. "he MS is powered on and registered with the networ#. C. "he MS transfers the SM to the MS%. E. "he MS% interrogates the 034 to verify that the message transfer does not violate the supplementary services invo#ed or the restrictions imposed. /. "he MS% sends the short message to the SMS% using the forwardShortMessage operation.

D. "he SMS% delivers the short message to the SM! (and optionally receives ac#nowledgment). G. "he SMS% ac#nowledges to the MS% the successful outcome of the forwardShortMessage operation. <. "he MS% returns to the MS the outcome of the M6-SM operation.

Picture 7. MO4SM Scenario "IS4$1%

1. "he MS transfers the SM to the MS%. C. "he MS% interrogates the home SMS% to verify that the message transfer does not violate the supplementary services invo#ed or the restrictions imposed. "he MS% sends the short message to the home SMS% using the SMS** &nvo#e operation E. "he SMS% delivers an ac#nowledgment to the MS%. /. "he MS% returns order release to the MS.

D. "he SMS% ,ueries the 234 for the location of the destination MS. G. "he 234 returns the destination (MS%) serving the destination MS. <. "he SMS% delivers SM to the MS% serving the destination MS. H. "he SMS% delivers the short message to the MS. . "he MS ac#nowledges to the MS% the successful outcome of the SMS+** operation. 1B. "he MS% returns to the SMS% the outcome of the M6.SM operation (delivery successful).

SMS Applications SMS was initially designed to support limited-si5e messages, mostly notifications and numeric or alphanumeric pages. 1hile these applications are and will continue to be widely used, there are more recent niches that SMS still can exploit. Short bursts of data are at the heart of many applications that were restricted to the world of data networ#s with fixed terminals attached to a local-area networ# (3(') or wide-area networ# (1('). 2owever, many of these applications are better served if the data communication capabilities could be added to the mobility of the station. "hus, a waiter who can charge a customer7s credit card right at the table, at any time, instead of going to a fixed *6S terminal located by the register will be able to help customers in a faster, more convenient way. (lso, the ability to trac# the location of a moving asset such as a truc# or its load is very valuable for both providers and clients. "his application, again, @ust needs to interchange small amounts of information, such as the longitude and latitude at a current time of the day, and perhaps other parameters li#e temperature or humidity. "his application does not necessarily re,uire the monitored entity to be in movement. "he re,uirements are basically short, bursty data and a location that has digital networ# coverage. -or example, in a neighborhood, it would be faster, easier, and cheaper to drive a truc# from the local power company, which interrogates intelligent meters to obtain their current readings and then forwards them via short message to a central data processing center to generate the billing. Similarly, delivery truc#s could be alerted of the inventory of a customer running low, when the truc# is close to the customer:s facilities. "he truc# driver could place a ,uic# phone call to the customer to offer a short-time replenishment at a low cost for the distributor. (nother family of applications that can use SMS as a data transport mechanism is ban#ing. &t is no secret that automated teller machine (("M) and &nternet transactions are less costly than transactions completed at a branch. &nternet transactions are even cheaper than ("M transactions. "herefore, enabling wireless subscribers to chec# their balances,

transfer funds between accounts, pay their bills and credit cards is valuable, not only for the subscriber but also for financial institutions. !ntertainment applications are also good drivers of SMS usage. !xamples of these are simple short message exchanges between two parties (>texting?) or between multiple participants (>chat?). (lso, delivery of information that the subscriber can tailor to his or her lifestyle represents an attractive proposition for wireless users. 1ireless 1eb browsing allows the users to search for information without the physical restrictions of a *%. %ollege students certainly appreciate not having to go to the computer lab or their dorm to chec# e-mail or find out what the re,uired boo# is for the semester that is about to start. !-mail continues to be by far the most used wireless data application. 2owever, handsets are evolving ,uic#ly and are including more and more functionality that supports newer applications at the same time that user friendliness increases. *robably the next big success beyond wireless 1eb will be &nternet shopping and other e-commerce applications such as electronic coupons, advertising, etc. "he potential for applications is enormous, and new needs appear to arise constantly, demanding a solution that may travel over SMS.