What is SMS

What is SMS?

SMS, also known as short messaging service, is the rage in Europe and parts of Asia. Gradually SMS is gaining momentum in the US as a low cost messaging solution. SMS is defined as text messages, up to 160 characters in length, sent to mobile phones. In recent months SMS has become synonymous with any text message sent to a cell phone.

Benefits to SMS

SMS is a convenient, cost effective alteative to voice messaging. SMS popularity has grown as a result of:

1.) Cost - SMS is less expensive then the airtime used for voice calls or web access.

2.) Non-intrusive - messages are received in a discrete fashion and do not interrupt an individual if they are in the middle of a meeting

3.) Integration Capabilities - many software programs can be set up to send text alerts to mobile phones when urgent conditions exist.

Short Messaging Explained

Short messages can originate from other phones, personal computers or the Inteet. Consumers and businesses alike use SMS for remote communication, allowing for staff to be mobile and stay in touch with those who matter.

Who Offers SMS?

Today nearly all the cellular carriers provide some level of SMS or text messaging capabilities. Cost and features vary, with carriers offering a variety of packages to suit individual or business needs. Typically there are three options that carriers provide:

1.) Free of Charge - text messaging is included as part of a select plan.

2.) Per Message Fee - users are charged per message.

3.) Monthly Fee - a set monthly fee includes a specified number of text messages.

How Do You Send SMS Messages?

Messages can be sent a variety of ways, depending on the service provider that you use.

SMS Software

The most popular way to send text messages is using software. When using software there is no cost associated with the sending of messages. Depending on the carrier that you are sending to messages can be sent any number of ways. Different carriers use different standards or protocols, the common protocols supported by most software is: via modem (TAP, UCP), the Inteet ((SNPP, WCTP) and via email (SMTP). Software is flexible and often allows for group or scheduled messaging. Another benefit to software is the ability to automate processes, sending SMS alerts when specific conditions exist often without the need for human interaction.

SMS Software - free trials available for download and evaluation http://www.notepage.net

Public SMS Gateway

Public gateways are often referred to as SMSC or SMS centers. The centers typically run a robust software application (like advanced versions of those mentioned above) and subscribe to a large database that allows for the messages to be routed to the appropriate carriers using the appropriate settings. When using an SMSC the sender incurs a per message charge. Cost will vary depending on the SMSC used to send the message but its not uncommon for it to cost .05 per message.

Phone to Phone

Many of the new mobile phones and those on the GSM network allow for messages to be sent from phone to phone. The keypads are rudimentary and not conducive for long messages but are effective when time is an issue and a concise message is needed.

Win for everyone

SMS messaging has been helpful to consumers and carriers, as the cost of sending and delivering SMS messages is relatively low. SMS messages have proven to be a lucrative revenue stream for struggling telecom providers.

The Future of SMS

SMS will continue to grow as part of the telecom industry. As software processes become more complex users will exploit text messaging capabilities in order to allow for additional mobility in the workplace.

About The Author

NotePage, Inc. develops SMS, alphanumeric paging and wireless messaging software solutions. http://www.notepage.net

Will You be Watching the World Cup on Your Mobile Phone

World Cup 2006 is almost upon us and the worldwide audience is set to smash all records. But the days of cramming around the television in the front room or in the local pub are diminished if not yet gone. With increased technological developments, football fans will be able to utilise new technology to follow their national teams� fortunes.

The increasing sophistication of the web means that live games will be shown on sites such as the BBC this summer. Streaming video content to your desktop or laptop is nothing new but the marketers recognise the value of the big occasion and with all games being available for live video download the 2006 World Cup will be the biggest litmus test that this technology has had to date. The availability of live streams offers great flexibility to users who are at work, university, home working and so on to watch and enjoy the games � whether legitimately or not.

Similarly recent developments in mobile phones mean that we can now watch mobile content on mobile devices such as phones. Having the World Cup on your mobile phone means that you need not miss any of the action and can watch games on the move wherever you are. Just watch out for oncoming traffic. The sophistication of the latest mobile phones include inteet connectivity and video content streaming allowing us to enjoy the footy on the bus or the train in a way that we have never been able to before.

Despite the popularity and frequent changes to our mobile phones, handsets with video streaming capability are still not in the majority. Sony Ericsson has led the way with video phones in recent years and Sony Ericsson models now have the capability as a standard handset feature. If you plan on watching the World Cup on the move the time is upon you to renew your phone so hurry up and call your network for an upgrade or visit one of the mobile phone stores to get your hands (and eyes) on the World Cup this year.

About Michael Michael is a keen writer, and inteet marketer living in Scotland: Contact details: E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com Phone: 0131 561 2251 Michael's Website: Taxi Belfast Airport Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Hanna

Why A Prepaid Cell Phone Plan Might Be The Way To Go

Is a prepaid cell phone plan right for you in terms of usability and a price I can afford? I am finding that shopping for a cell phone is becoming more and more difficult. I see, literally, hundreds of phone designs to choose from and there are more providers than I can believe that I have to research. The worst part is that you have to plan in advance to now what type of contract you want. However, you can always go the way of the prepaid cell phone plan.

If for some reason you have waited this long and are now new to the cell phone game, a prepaid cell phone plan may be the best route for you to go. A prepaid cell phone plan comes with no long term commitments and you generally pay only for what you use. There is significantly less paperwork involved and you will not have to endure a credit check or anything like that. As cell phones go, it is really the only thing anywhere near a easy over the counter transaction.

Another good situation for getting a prepaid cell phone plan is for a family member who will only use it as a security measure. An elderly relative may be avoiding the technology of cell phones, but having one around for emergencies might be something you can persuade them to do. If that is what the phone is going to be used for and will likely be sitting in a drawer or on a shelf most of its life, then there is no reason to pay a monthly fee when you can just get a prepaid cell phone plan and pay in advance as a just in case measure.

A prepaid cell phone plan is not a cure all, though. If you are a person who will be using your phone for hours on end every week, then a contract is still likely going to be the most cost effective cell phone plan you can get. However, as a first plan while you are sorting through all of the providers out there, you can still benefit from a prepaid cell phone plan. That way you can try a phone or a service for a couple of months to see if you like it before you commit long term to it.

Finding the right cell phone and cell phone service provider can be a daunting task, especially if you have never done it before. There are so many plans and phone out there that it can get very confusing. However, you can consider a prepaid cell phone plan as a way to buy yourself some time to look through monthly plans. A prepaid cell phone plan will allow you to pay up front so that you don�t have worry about extra fees. While you are working through a month or two of that you can take your time to find the right cell phone contract for you. You should also consider a prepaid cell phone for elderly relatives or those who may need it only in emergency. No matter the reason, there are really no drawbacks prepaid cell phones.

If you would like to read more of my articles on cell phones, please feel free to visit my website on cell phone deals!

Understanding Cell Phone Minutes

Understanding how your cellular minutes work is one of the most confusing and least understood aspects of any wireless communications plan. It's not surprising that this lack of understanding is what leads to shockingly high phone bill surprises. So if you want to prevent getting one it's important to have a basic understanding of how they work.

You basic cell phone plans come with a monthly allotment of anytime minutes, and usually free or night and/or weekend minutes. When you make a call the thing to understand is the phone company is going to use the most expensive minutes first. For example let's say your plan has 200 minutes per month. During the first week of the month all of your calls are made during the day using what are known as peak minutes. You make 120 minutes worth of calls. For the remainder of the month you make 200 minutes worth of calls but they are all at night during the time when your carrier offers free calling. You've used 320 minutes worth of calling time for the month. However to your wireless provider you used 200 of your anytime minutes, and they gave you 120 minutes of free night time calling. Many people make the assumption they only used 120 minutes of calling time and have 80 minutes left unused, which is incorrect. This incorrect assumption can compound itself if the customers has a rollover plan and assumes 80 minutes are �going into the bank�. For this calling period however there will be no overage charges.

Lets look at another example. During the first three weeks of the month you make 200 minutes worth of calls at night during the free calling period. The the last week in the month you make 120 minutes of calls during the day or peak hours. You made 320 minutes worth of calls but the 200 were at night and were free and the 120 is less than the 200 so there will be no overage charges right? Well if you thought like that you'll be pretty surprised with the overage charges that came on your next bill. Your wireless provider used your 200 anytime minutes during the first three weeks when you were calling at night. So when you made the 120 minutes of calls the last week of the month they were all peak overage minutes. Overage minutes are always billed at higher cost than regular minutes which makes the problem worse.

The key point to understand is the wireless provider is always going to use the most expensive minutes first. In fact it's impossible to use �free night and weekend minutes� until you have gone through all of your anytime minutes first. Understanding exactly how your wireless minutes work can help you plan out how to avoid overage charges at the end of the month

� Copyright Cellular-Advisor.com, All Rights Reserved.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Josephine Mills publishes telecommunications articles on www.cellular-advisor.com where she discusses a wide variety of topics related to Cell Phones and other wireless communication subjects.

Video and Camera Cell Phone Issues

Video and Camera Cell Phones are some of the latest gadgets in the personal tech world. But they do not come without both pluses and minuses for society. For instance if some is committing a crime a teenager can get a picture of their license plates. But another teenager might use it unwisely to take a picture of a girl up her skirt without her knowledge. Or a criminal might use it to photograph your credit card in a store and steal the number and use it for identity theft?

On Congressman is introducing a bill and hoping to make a law against the use of this technology in any criminal act. It is interesting that politicians would create legal penalties for use of technology in a crime when the crime is already illegal. Sometimes it seems to me that these podium pusher lawmakers are scoundrels, as every time someone has an issue they stand up and claim they are going to solve the problem by making another law.

Like after 9-11 one Congressman from IL said the dumbest thing; he said we need a law to prevent this from ever happening again and he proposed that flying an aircraft into a building by Inteational Terrorists be made illegal! I could not believe what I was hearing, it is already illegal to hijack a plane and the FAA says you must park aircraft at aviation facilities and that would preclude parking it into a building and killing innocent people. Not to mention Inteational Acts of Terrorism are already illegal?

Technology can be used in good and bad ways and one think tanker in an online think tank stated; �The best technology is always abused by some, and concurrently used by the military for weapons development, such is human nature.�

Indeed and I want the very best technologies for my troops in the mode net-centric battlespace. But also there are other ways technology is brought to the forefront; Entertainment is one such instance, medicine and necessity being another.

For instance Virtual Reality, graphics, movie special affects, super high-tech jet skis, racing, new iPod, sports equipment. And medicine there are numerous examples. Necessity; well exploits in de-salination, floating cities, etc. Although as I started thinking about it most of the ones I came up with for medicine, space, entertainment and necessity and even communication like the Inteet were all bo of military hand me down, transfer technologies, so you point is indeed well taken. Consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Why Laptops are Different than Desktops

Laptops are different from desktops in the these ways;

1. Power supply: As desktops can be plugged in an outlet in the wall (AC Power) so can laptops with an AC adapter. But how a laptop is different from a desktop is that it is portable because batteries can also power laptops. The batteries are rechargeable; lithium, nickel-cadmium, or nickel-metal hydride.

2. Display: Also like desktops, laptops have some type of LCD display screen. Mode Laptops have 800 x 600 pixel resolution. This gives it a very clear screen and anything less should be avoided.

3. Input Devices: On a desktop computer you usually use a mouse and keyboard to enter data and navigate. With laptops keyboards are built in but since they are portable so they don't have a mouse. Instead they have one of three input devices in place of the mouse. A trackball, rotating the ball allows you to move the cursor. A trackpoint allows you to push your finger over the point to move the cursor. Lastly, a laptop may have a touchpad that you move your finger across to move the cursor.

4. Docking Connections: Many laptops come with a docking connection to make it more comfortable to use at a desk. You just plug your laptop in and use it as a desktop. The docking station comes with many peripheral devices: full size computer monitor, full size keyboard and mouse, disk drives and printer.

About The Author B. Archer A successful author and publisher of http://www.A1-computers.net. A great source of information about computers and computer accessories. http://www.A1-computers.net/laptops.html http://www.A1-computers.net/desktoppc.html Check out our Blog! http://a1-computers.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bonnie_Archer

Why Your Business Should Consider SMS

As an organisation, the use of SMS might seem too innovative or unprofessional.

So why are "forward-thinking" organisations throughout the world welcoming SMS open-heartedly. What's so good about SMS?

SMS is popular and well-established

To begin with, SMS is extremely popular; each day billions of text-messages fly from phone to phone. Over here in the UK, for example, we send each other over 83 million messages each day.

These facts show that SMS is no longer something new. It's a well-established method of communication, not just an extra function on a mobile phone.

Anytime / Anywhere

The most important aspect of SMS is its unique ability to reach anyone, anytime, anywhere and because there are no barriers in-between the sender and the receiver, every message is almost definitely read.

SMS is a great friendship-marketing tool

As SMS is a personal method of communication, organisations use features like message personalisation to communicate with their clients & staff in a friendly manner, making each recipient feel as if their messages were individually written and sent to them alone.

SMS is reliable

Furthermore, messages sent through reliable service providers are usually delivered within seconds and provide real-time delivery reports.

Now I say 'reliable', because it is possible to route messages through offshore networks on the other side of the world and whilst their prices might be low, so is their reliability.

The Economics Make Sense

SMS is the most cost-effective method of communication and its financial benefits are numerous. Imagine how much time you need to contact 1,000 people by post and how much it would cost. In the UK, this would be

- paper� let's say 1p per piece
- envelopes� let's say 2p per piece
- stamps� these are at least 30p each
- time� a lot!

Well SMS can do all of that in less than 5 minutes in a tiny fraction of the cost.

And don't forget, if your organisation uses a database, website or a specialised piece of software, they can easily be SMS-enabled to trigger messages on particular events allowing you to take advantage of SMS without doing anything yourself.

Got the message yet?

Having read this, you would have begun to understand that the only reason many organisations haven't begun to use SMS is a fear of trying something new.

And if you haven't got the message yet, then visit sites like www.bestkeptsimple.org or www.textually.org and read about how organisations like yours are benefiting through SMS.

Fahed Bizzari is an expert in applying text-messaging for business use. He graduated with a first class honours in Strategic Marketing and applied his knowledge, at the young age of 23, into the development of TM4B Bulk SMS Gateway, his own text-messaging service.