Binary SMS

An SMS message can also carry binary data. A binary SMS message has 140 bytes of user data. This user data can be split into two parts; the user data header, and the actual user data. The user data header can be used to inform mobile phones about certain message types. This way SMS can be used to carry operator logos, ringtones, telephone settings and WAP push messages. Examples are available in our documentation.

Flash SMS, binary A Flash SMS appears directly on the phone's screen, instead of the 'Inbox'. Its a useful alternative to normal SMS when you want to catch the recipients attention immediately. The recipient has the option of 'Saving' the Flash SMS to his 'Inbox'.

Multimedia Message MMS Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a mobile telephone standard for sending messages that include multimedia objects (images, audio, video, rich text). MMS is an extension of the SMS standard, allowing longer message lengths and using WAP to display the content. Its most popular use is sending photographs from camera-equipped handsets, although it is also popular as a method of delivering ringtones.

Operator logo SMS, binary Operator logos are graphical images that are displayed on a phone when the phone signs into a GSM network. An operator logo is identified by a country code and a mobile network code. GSM handsets supporting this technology can store more than one image at a time, and when the handset roams between networks, it can display the appropriate operator logo. When designing operator logos, the designer has to keep in mind that different handsets support operator logos of different dimensions. The most common bitmap size for operator logos is 72x14 pixels.

OTA bitmap SMS, binary The OTA or Over The Air Bitmap was defined as part of the Smart Messaging Specification, to send pictures as a series of one or more concatenated SMS text messages. The format has a maximum size of 255x255 pixels. It is very rare for an OTA bitmap to measure anything other than 72x28 pixels (for Picture Messages) or 72x14/72x13 (for Operator Logos). The specification contains a byte of data to be used for indicating a multicolor image. This was to

future-proof the standard, but the advent of Multimedia Messaging meant it never got to implementation.

An OTA bitmap is used for various SMS formats; Operator logos, CLI icons, Picture Messages, and Downloadable Profiles. In most phones the maximum size of the operator logo and the CLI icon is 72 x 14 pixels, while the maximum size of the picture message and the screen saver is 72 x 28 pixels. An OTA bitmap consists of a bitmap header and bitmap data. The size of the bitmap is specified in the header.

A typical OTA bitmap (72 x 14 pixels) header is: 00480E01

00 48 0E 00

Info field Width of the bitmap is 72 pixels Height of the bitmap is 14 pixels Number of colors or grey shades (only one color)

The image data is located after the header information and is encoded as follows. Each semioctet in the OTA bitmap presents 4 pixels in the original bitmap. As one row takes 18 semioctets, the whole 72 x 14 (operator logo and CLI icon) bitmap takes 18 x 14 = 252 semi-octets = 126 octets. Including the picture message and the screen saver, the entire 72 x 28 size bitmap takes 18 x 28 = 504 semi-octets = 252 octets. For example, if the first four pixels of the image are 1010 (1 - black, 0 - white), the first semi-octet of the OTA bitmap data is hex A.

Ringtone SMS, binary Ringtones are little melodies and tunes created to give a unique sound to the GSM phone when the phone is ringing. Ringtones can be composed with an appropriate editor and they can be sent as SMS messages.

VCard SMS, binary

You can use this message type to send a business card to a mobile phone. You can include your name, phone numbers (home and work), your fax number, your e-mail and homepage address, your date of birth, as well as a note.

VCalendar SMS, binary VCalendar defines a transport and platform-independent format for exchanging calendar and schedule information, so that any vCalendar-compliant application can send or receive calender and scheduling information to or from any other vCalendar application. For instance, users with mobile phones running vCalendar-aware applications can schedule meetings automatically over an infrared link or via SMS.

WAP Push SMS, binary The WAP Push technology makes it possible to send a specially encoded SMS message with a description and link to a WAP address (URL). When a GSM handset receives this WAP Push message, it will automatically give the user the option to access the WAP content. The WAP content can be a WML page, a JAVA application, or multimedia content. WAP Push is also used to send polyphonic ringtones and wallpaper images to phones. To instruct a phone to go to a certain WAP location, a Service Indication message needs to be used. WAP Push message is more convenient than a simple text message. In a simple text message the user receives a link to the content, which then has to be entered manually into a browser to be opened. However, if the recipient receives the URL in a WAP Push message, it only takes one or two clicks to open the respective page or content.

Webpage link-Bookmark SMS, binary You can use this message type to avoid having to commit webpage addresses to memory. This message type is similar to WAP Push. However, the link sent will be included in the set of bookmarks so you can easily open the page the link leads to in the browser.

OMA OTA settings SMS, binary OMA OTA settings refer to the setting up of new services, such as GPRS, MMS and Instant Messaging for an existing subscriber of a mobile phone network, and any gateways for standard Internet chat or mail services. Network operators typically send these settings to the subscribers handset using SMS or WAP as the mobile operating systems accept.

OTA Browser settings SMS, binary Browser settings are used to provide handsets with the basic settings needed to establish a connection to be used for browsing, as a method of simplifying the end-user experience. Using this message type, the necessary parameters can be set by just pressing one or two buttons, avoiding having to manually configure the necessary browser settings.

OTA SyncML settings SMS SyncML settings are used to provide handsets with basic settings needed to establish a sync session with a sync server. These settings may also include authentication information. SyncML OTA configuration information can be sent to SyncML-compatible mobile phones. This option allows a complete SyncML configuration profile to be sent to a compatible mobile phone.

WAP Push SL SMS The WAP Push SL message type makes it possible to send a service loading WAP requests to mobile phones. These requests can contain an URL and a signal level.