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SMS
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For other uses, see SMS (disambiguation).
This article describes the communication protocol technology. For information about text
messaging see Text messaging.
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challenged and removed. (July 2008)

Received SMS on a Motorola RAZR mobile phone

E.161, the most common mobile keypad alphabet layout

Short Message Service (SMS) is a communication service standardized in the GSM

mobile communication system, using standardized communications protocols allowing
the interchange of short text messages between mobile telephone devices. SMS text
messaging is the most widely used data application on the planet, with 2.4 billion active
users, or 74% of all mobile phone subscribers sending and receiving text messages on
their phones.[citation needed] The SMS technology has facilitated the development and growth
of text messaging. The connection between the phenomenon of text messaging and the
underlying technology is so great that in parts of the world the term "SMS" is used as a
synonym for a text message or the act of sending a text message, even when a different
protocol is being used.

SMS as used on modern handsets was originally defined as part of the GSM series of
standards in 1985[1] as a means of sending messages of up to 160 characters (including
spaces), to and from GSM mobile handsets.[2] Since then, support for the service has
expanded to include alternative mobile standards such as ANSI CDMA networks and
Digital AMPS, as well as satellite and landline networks.[citation needed] Most SMS messages
are mobile-to-mobile text messages, though the standard supports other types of
broadcast messaging as well.

Contents
[hide]

• 1 History
o 1.1 SMS as part of GSM
o 1.2 Text messaging outside GSM
o 1.3 SMS today
• 2 Technical details
o 2.1 GSM
o 2.2 Message size
o 2.3 SMS Gateway providers
o 2.4 Interconnectivity with other networks
o 2.5 AT commands
o 2.6 Premium-rated short messages
o 2.7 SMS in satellite phone networks
o 2.8 Vulnerabilities
 2.8.1 SMS spoofing
• 3 See also
o 3.1 Details
o 3.2 Related protocols
o 3.3 Related technology
• 4 References

• 5 External links

[edit] History
[edit] SMS as part of GSM
 This section of the article is too long to read comfortably, and needs
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SMS messages sent monthly in USA (million)

The idea of adding text messaging to the services of mobile users was latent in many
communities of mobile communication services at the beginning of the 1980s. The first
action plan of the CEPT Group GSM approved in December 1982 requested "The
services and facilities offered in the public switched telephone networks and public data
networks ...should be available in the mobile system".[3] This target includes the exchange
of text messages either directly between mobile stations or the transmission via Message
Handling Systems widely in use since the beginning of the 1980s.[4]

The innovation in SMS is indicated by the word Short in Short Message Service. The
GSM system is optimized for telephony, since this was identified as its main application.
The key idea for SMS was to use this telephony-optimized system and to transport
messages on the signaling paths needed to control the telephony traffic during time
periods when no signaling traffic existed. In this way unused resources in the system
could be used to transport messages without additional cost. However, it was necessary to
limit the length of the messages to 128 bytes (later improved to 140 octets, or 160 7-bit
characters), so that the messages could fit into the existing signaling formats. Therefore
the service was named “Short Message Service”.

This concept allowed implementing the SMS in every mobile station just by an additional
software routine without incremental cost per unit. Also the implementation in the
networks required just software without incremental cost. The only new network element
was a specialised Short Message Service Centre for a whole countrywide network. It
needed capacity expansions of course with growing SMS traffic. This concept was
instrumental for the implementation of SMS in every mobile station ever produced and in
every network from early days on. Hence a large base of SMS capable terminals and
networks existed when the users began to utilise the SMS.[5]

No individual expert or company can claim to be the ‘father’ or ‘creator’ of the SMS. The
GSM project as a whole was indeed a multi-national collaboration at its best. Therefore
the responsibility for the SMS innovation is not with a single person but with a network
of closely cooperating persons who have created this innovation. They did this with the
supporting framework of Standard Bodies and through these organisations made the
technology freely available to the whole world. This is described and supported by
evidence in the following sections.[6]

The first proposal for SMS which initiated the development of SMS in the group GSM
was made by a contribution of Germany and France into the GSM meeting in February
1985 in Oslo[7]. This proposal was further elaborated in GSM subgroup WP1 Services
(Chairman Martine Alvernhe, France Telecom) based on a contribution from Germany.
There were also initial discussions in the subgroup WP3 network aspects chaired by Jan
Audestad (Telenor). The result was approved by the main group GSM in a document of
June 85 which was distributed to industry.[8] The input documents on SMS had been
prepared by Friedhelm Hillebrand (Deutsche Telekom) with contributions from Bernard
Ghillebaert (France Télécom).

SMS was considered in the main GSM group as a possible service for the new digital
cellular system. In GSM document "Services and Facilities to be provided in the GSM
System",[1] both mobile originated and mobile terminated short messages appear on the
table of GSM teleservices.

The discussions on the GSM services were then concluded in the recommendation GSM
02.03 "TeleServices supported by a GSM PLMN".[9] Here a rudimentary description of the
three services was given:

1. Short message Mobile Terminated (SMS-MT)/ Point-to-Point: the ability of a

network to transmit a Short Message to a mobile phone. The message can be sent
by phone or by a software application.
2. Short message Mobile Originated (SMS-MO)/ Point-to-Point: the ability of a
network to transmit a Short Message sent by a mobile phone. The message can be
sent to a phone or to a software application.
3. Short message Cell Broadcast.

The material elaborated in GSM and its subgroups WP1 was handed over in spring 1987
to a new GSM body called IDEG (the Implementation of Data and Telematic Services
Experts Group), which had its kickoff in May 1987 under the chairmanship of Friedhelm
Hillebrand (German Telecom). The technical standard known today was largely created
by IDEG (later WP4) as the two recommendations GSM 03.40 (the two point-to-point
services merged together) and GSM 03.41 (cell broadcast).

WP4 created a drafting group message handling (DGMH) who was responsible for the
specification of SMS. It was chaired by Finn Trosby (Telenor). DGMH had about 5 to 8
participants (Finn Trosby mentions as contributors Alan Cox of Vodafone). The first
action plan[10] mentions for the first time the Technical Specification 03.40 “Technical
realisation of the Short Message Service”. Responsible editor was Finn Trosby. The first
draft of the technical specification was completed in of November 1987[11]. A
comprehensive description[12].

The work on the draft specification continued in the following few years, where Kevin
Holley of Cellnet (now O2) played a leading role. Besides the completion of the main
specification GSM 03.40 also the detailed protocol specifications on the system interfaces
needed to be completed.

The Mobile Application Part (MAP) of the SS7 protocol included support for the
transport of Short Messages through the Core Network from its inception.[13] MAP Phase
2 expanded support for SMS by introducing a separate operation code for Mobile
Terminated Short Message transport.[14] Since Phase 2, there have been no changes to the
Short Message operation packages in MAP, although other operation packages have been
enhanced to support CAMEL SMS control.

From 3GPP Releases 99 and 4 onwards, CAMEL Phase 3 introduced the ability for the
Intelligent Network (IN) to control aspects of the Mobile Originated Short Message
Service,[15] while CAMEL Phase 4, as part of 3GPP Release 5 and onwards, provides the
IN with the ability to control the Mobile Terminated service.[16] CAMEL allows the
gsmSCP to block the submission (MO) or delivery (MT) of Short Messages, route
messages to destinations other than that specified by the user, and perform real-time
billing for the use of the service. Prior to standardized CAMEL control of the Short
Message Service, IN control relied on switch vendor specific extensions to the Intelligent
Network Application Part (INAP) of SS7.

The first SMS message[17] was sent over the Vodafone GSM network in the United
Kingdom on 3 December 1992, from Neil Papworth of Sema Group (now Airwide
Solutions) using a personal computer to Richard Jarvis of Vodafone using an Orbitel 901
handset. The text of the message was "Merry Christmas".[18] The first SMS typed on a
GSM phone is claimed to have been sent by Riku Pihkonen, an engineering student at
Nokia, in 1993.[19]

The first commercial deployment of a Short Message Service Centre (SMSC) was by
Aldiscon (now Acision) with TeliaSonera in Sweden in 1993,[20], followed by Fleet Call
(now Nextel)[citation needed] in the US, Telenor in Norway[citation needed] and BT Cellnet (now O2
UK)[citation needed] later in 1993.

Initial growth was slow, with customers in 1995 sending on average only 0.4 messages
per GSM customer per month.[21] One factor in the slow takeup of SMS was that
operators were slow to set up charging systems, especially for prepaid subscribers, and
eliminate billing fraud which was possible by changing SMSC settings on individual
handsets to use the SMSCs of other operators[citation needed].

Over time, this issue was eliminated by switch-billing instead of billing at the SMSC and
by new features within SMSCs to allow blocking of foreign mobile users sending
messages through it. By the end of 2000, the average number of messages reached 35 per
user per month,[21] and by Christmas Day 2006, over 205m texts were sent in the UK
alone.[22]

It is also alleged that the fact that roaming customers, in the early days, rarely received
bills for their SMSs after holidays abroad had a boost on text messaging as an alternative
to voice calls[citation needed].

[edit] Text messaging outside GSM

SMS was originally designed as part of GSM, but is now available on a wide range of
networks, including 3G networks. However, not all text messaging systems use SMS, and
some notable alternate implementations of the concept include J-Phone's SkyMail and
NTT Docomo's Short Mail, both in Japan. E-mail messaging from phones, as popularized
by NTT Docomo's i-mode and the RIM BlackBerry, also typically use standard mail
protocols such as SMTP over TCP/IP.

[edit] SMS today

Commercially SMS is a massive industry in 2006 worth over 81 billion dollars

globally.[23] SMS has an average global price of 0.11 USD and maintains a near 90%
profit margin.

[edit] Technical details

[edit] GSM

Main article: Short message service technical realisation (GSM)

The Short Message Service - Point to Point (SMS-PP) is defined in GSM

recommendation 03.40.[2] GSM 03.41 defines the Short Message Service - Cell Broadcast
(SMS-CB) which allows messages (advertising, public information, etc.) to be broadcast
to all mobile users in a specified geographical area.[24] Messages are sent to a Short
Message Service Centre (SMSC) which provides a store-and-forward mechanism. It
attempts to send messages to their recipients. If a recipient is not reachable, the SMSC
queues the message for later retry.[25] Some SMSCs also provide a "forward and forget"
option where transmission is tried only once. Both Mobile Terminated (MT), for
messages sent to a mobile handset, and Mobile Originating (MO), for those that are sent
from the mobile handset, operations are supported. Message delivery is best effort, so
there are no guarantees that a message will actually be delivered to its recipient and delay
or complete loss of a message is not uncommon, particularly when sending between
networks. Users may request delivery reports to confirm that messages reach the intended
recipients, either via the SMS settings of most modern phones, or by prefixing each
message with *0# or *N#.

GSM 03.38
 x0 x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 x6 x7 x8 x9 xA xB xC xD xE xF
0x @ £ $ ¥ è é ù ì ò Ç LF Ø ø CR Å å
1x Δ _ Φ Γ Λ Ω Π Ψ Σ Θ Ξ ESC Æ æ ß É
2x SP ! " # ¤ % & ' ( ) * + , - . /
3x 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 : ; < = > ?
4x ¡ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O
5x P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Ä Ö Ñ Ü §
6x ¿ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
7x p q r s t u v w x y z ä ö ñ ü à
1B 0x FF
1B 1x ^
1B 2x { } \
1B 3x [ ~ ]
1B 4x |
1B 5x
1B 6x €
1B 7x

[edit] Message size

Transmission of short messages between the SMSC and the handset is done using the
Mobile Application Part (MAP) of the SS7 protocol. Messages are sent with the MAP
mo- and mt-ForwardSM operations, whose payload length is limited by the constraints of
the signalling protocol to precisely 140 octets (140 octets = 140 * 8 bits = 1120 bits).
Short messages can be encoded using a variety of alphabets: the default GSM 7-bit
alphabet (shown above), the 8-bit data alphabet, and the 16-bit UTF-16/UCS-2
alphabet.[26] Depending on which alphabet the subscriber has configured in the handset,
this leads to the maximum individual Short Message sizes of 160 7-bit characters, 140 8-
bit characters, or 70 16-bit characters (including spaces). Support of the GSM 7-bit
alphabet is mandatory for GSM handsets and network elements,[26] but characters in
languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Cyrillic alphabet languages (e.g.
Russian) must be encoded using the 16-bit UCS-2 character encoding (see Unicode).
Routing data and other metadata is additional to the payload size.

Larger content (Concatenated SMS, multipart or segmented SMS or "long sms") can be
sent using multiple messages, in which case each message will start with a user data
header (UDH) containing segmentation information. Since UDH is inside the payload,
the number of characters per segment is lower: 153 for 7-bit encoding, 134 for 8-bit
encoding and 67 for 16-bit encoding. The receiving handset is then responsible for
reassembling the message and presenting it to the user as one long message. While the
standard theoretically permits up to 255 segments,[27] 6 to 8 segment messages are the
practical maximum, and long messages are often billed as equivalent to multiple SMS
messages. See Concatenated SMS for more information. Some providers have offered
length-oriented pricing schemes for SMSs, however, the phenomenon is disappearing.
[edit] SMS Gateway providers

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this
article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be
challenged and removed. (June 2008)

SMS gateway providers facilitate the SMS traffic between businesses and mobile
subscribers, being mainly responsible for carrying mission-critical messages, SMS for
enterprises, content delivery and entertainment services involving SMS, e.g. TV voting.
Considering SMS messaging performance and cost, as well as the level of messaging
services, SMS gateway providers can be classified as aggregators or SS7 providers.

The aggregator model is based on multiple agreements with mobile carriers to exchange
2-way SMS traffic into and out of the operator’s SMS platform (Short Message Service
Centre – SMS-C), also known as local termination model. Aggregators lack direct
access into the SS7 protocol, which is the protocol where the SMS messages are
exchanged. SMS messages are delivered in the operator’s SMS-C, but not the
subscriber’s handset, the SMS-C takes care of further handling of the message through
the SS7 network

Another type of SMS gateway provider is based on SS7 connectivity to route SMS
messages, also known as international termination model. The advantage of this model
is the ability to route data directly through SS7, which gives the provider total control and
visibility of the complete path during the SMS routing. This means SMS messages can be
sent directly to and from recipients without having to go through the SMS-Centres of
other mobile operators. Therefore, it’s possible to avoid delays and message losses,
offering full delivery guarantees of messages and optimised routing. This model is
particularly efficient when used in mission-critical messaging and SMS used in corporate
communications.

[edit] Interconnectivity with other networks

Message Service Centres communicate with the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or
PSTN via Interworking and Gateway MSCs.

Subscriber-originated messages are transported from a handset to a Service Centre, and

may be destined for mobile users, subscribers on a fixed network, or Value-Added
Service Providers (VASPs), also known as application-terminated. Subscriber-terminated
messages are transported from the Service Centre to the destination handset, and may
originate from mobile users, from fixed network subscribers, or from other sources such
as VASPs.

It is also possible, on some carriers, for non-subscribers to send messages to a

subscriber's phone using an E-Mail to SMS gateway. Additionally, many carriers,
including AT&T, T-Mobile[28], Sprint[29], and Verizon Wireless[30], offer the ability to do
this through their respective websites. For example an AT&T subscriber whose phone
number was 555-555-5555 would receive e-mails to 5555555555@txt.att.net as text
messages. Sending a message this way is free but subject to the normal length limit.

Text enabled fixed-line handsets are required to receive messages in text format.
However, messages can be delivered to non-enabled phones using text-to-speech
conversion.[31]

Short messages can also be used to send binary content such as ringtones or logos, as
well as Over-the-air programming (OTA) or configuration data. Such uses are a vendor-
specific extension of the GSM specification and there are multiple competing standards,
although Nokia's Smart Messaging is by far the most common. An alternative way for
sending such binary content is EMS messaging which is standardised and not dependent
on vendors.

Today, SMS is also used for M2M (Machine to Machine) communication. For instance,
there is an LED display machine controlled by SMS, and some vehicle tracking
companies use SMS for their data transport or telemetry needs. SMS usage for these
purposes are slowly being superseded by GPRS services due to their lower overall
costs[citation needed].

[edit] AT commands

Many mobile and satellite transceiver units support the sending and receiving of SMS
using an extended version of the Hayes command set. The connection between the
Terminal Equipment and the transceiver can be realized with a serial cable (i.e. USB), a
Bluetooth link, an infrared link, etc. Common AT commands include AT+CMGS (send
message), AT+CMSS (send message from storage), AT+CMGL (list messages) and
AT+CMGR (read message).[32]

However, not all modern devices support receiving of messages if the message storage,
for instance the device's internal memory, is not accessible using AT commands.

[edit] Premium-rated short messages

Short messages may be used to provide premium rate services to subscribers of a

telephone network.

Mobile terminated short messages can be used to deliver digital content such as news
alerts, financial information, logos and ring tones. The Value-added service provider
(VASP) providing the content submits the message to the mobile operator's SMSC(s)
using a TCP/IP protocol such as the short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP) or the
External Machine Interface (EMI). The SMSC delivers the text using the normal Mobile
Terminated delivery procedure. The subscribers are charged extra for receiving this
premium content, and the amount is typically divided between the mobile network
operator and the VASP either through revenue share or a fixed transport fee.
Mobile originated short messages may also be used in a premium-rated manner for
services such as televoting. In this case, the VASP providing the service obtains a short
code from the telephone network operator, and subscribers send texts to that number. The
payouts to the carriers vary by carrier and the percentages paid are greatest on the lowest
priced premium SMS services. Most information providers should expect to pay about
45% of the cost of the premium SMS up front to the carrier. The submission of the text to
the SMSC is identical to a standard MO Short Message submission, but once the text is at
the SMSC, the Service Centre identifies the Short Code as a premium service. The SC
will then direct the content of the text message to the VASP, typically using an IP
protocol such as SMPP or EMI. Subscribers are charged a premium for the sending of
such messages, with the revenue typically shared between the network operator and the
VASP. Limitations of short codes include the limitation to national borders (short codes
have to be activated in each country where the campaign takes place), as well as being
expensive to sign up together with mobile operators.

An alternative to inbound SMS is based on long numbers (international number format,

e.g. +44 7624 805000),which can be used in place of short codes for SMS reception in
several applications, such as TV voting, product promotions and campaigns. Long
numbers are internationally available, as well as enabling businesses to have their own
number, rather than short codes which are usually shared across a lot of brands.
Additionally, long numbers are non-premium inbound numbers.

See also: Reverse SMS billing, Mobile search, and Short code

[edit] SMS in satellite phone networks

All commercial Satellite phone networks except ACeS and OptusSat fully support
SMS[citation needed]. While early Iridium handsets only support incoming SMS, later models
can also send them. The price per message varies for the different networks and is usually
between 25 and 50 cents per message. Unlike some mobile phone networks there is no
extra charge for sending international SMS or to send one to a different satellite phone
network. SMS can sometimes be sent from areas where the signal is too poor to make a
voice call.

Satellite phone networks usually have a web-based or email-based SMS portals where
one can send free SMS to phones on that particular network.

[edit] Vulnerabilities

The Global Service for Mobile communications (GSM) with the greatest worldwide
number of users succumbs to several security vulnerabilities. In the GSM, only the
airway traffic between the Mobile Station (MS) and the Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
is optionally encrypted with a weak and broken stream cipher (A5/1 or A5/2). The
authentication is unilateral and also vulnerable. There are also many other security
vulnerabilities and shortcomings[33]. Such vulnerabilities are inherited to the Short
Message Service (SMS) as one of the superior and well-tried services with a global
availability in the GSM networks. The SMS messaging has some extra security
vulnerabilities due to its store-and-forward feature, and the problem of fake SMS that can
be conducted via the Internet. When a user is roaming, the SMS content passes through
different networks and perhaps the Internet that exposes it to various vulnerabilities and
attacks. Another concern is arisen when an adversary gets access to the phone and reads
the previous unprotected messages[34].

In October 2005, researchers from Pennsylvania State University published an analysis of

vulnerabilities in SMS-capable cellular networks.[35] The researchers speculated that
attackers might exploit the open functionality of these networks to disrupt them or cause
them to fail, possibly on a nationwide scale.

[edit] SMS spoofing

The GSM industry has identified a number of potential fraud attacks on mobile operators
that are caused by abuse of SMS messaging services. The most serious of these threats is
SMS Spoofing. SMS Spoofing occurs when a fraudster manipulates address information
in order to impersonate a user that has roamed onto a foreign network and is submitting
messages to the home network. Frequently, these messages are addressed to destinations
outside the home network – with the home SMSC essentially being “hijacked” to send
messages into other networks.

The only 100%-sure way of detecting and blocking spoofed messages is to screen
incoming mobile originated messages to verify that the sender is a valid subscriber and
that the message is coming from a valid and correct location. This can be implemented by
adding an intelligent routing function to the network that can query originating subscriber
details from the HLR before the message is submitted for delivery. This kind of
intelligent routing function is beyond the capabilities of legacy messaging
infrastructure.[36]