ShortMessageService, aka SMS, is a very popular mechanism for communication between busy people.

Besides costs that are cheaper than a direct call, it also allows for store and forward messaging, so your mobile does not have to be on while message is sent. See more at http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/Short_Message_Service.html

SMS can be sent to foreign countries, not all service providers are equipped for this.

For some reasons some people are hooked on using SMS.

----
'''SMS BusinessValue'''

See for example, an article at http://www.m-indya.com/mwap/sms/user_appl.htm for various applications of this technology, including SMS chat.

Another application in Australia is for advertising where bar codes are transmitted to phones that can be used to function as discount coupons. Seen that in the business section of an Oz newspaper on 7th July05.

''BusinessValue the MicrosoftWay''

MS is said to have advertised email PushTechnology in WindowsMobile 2003, and implemented via the use of a ShortMessageService based intermediary. This was said to operate only on CDMA (CodeDivisionMultipleAccess) networks. But the ShowStopper is actually cost of this service, which requires the use of 2003 version of MicrosoftExchangeServer. See http://msmobiles.com/news.php/1870.html

----
SMS message gateways exist on the web. Anyone found good use of this outside of US? What countries and for what purposes? And why SMS ?
* A new (Aug05) Mobile''''''InstantMessenger service in UK aim to provide comprehensive connectivity for MobilePhone users, with links to PC based InstantMessaging as well. The Senjoo system is supposedly cheaper than use of ShortMessageService. Maybe UK pricing is too high, compared to rest of the world where SMS has taken off?

----
	1 The default "ring tone" for SMS is actually MorseCode for SMS.
	1 In the UK, sending SMS to a BT landline is converted to speech and "delivered". ''Similar services exist in Canada and Australia, I believe.''
	1 Some people thought SMS stand for "Short Messages Service", which is wrong.
----
CategoryCommunication