Mobile News

Initially, the GSM standard provided a way of communicating short alphanumeric messages from one mobile handset to another mobile handset. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) introduced two different types of short messaging:

- point-to-point–which requires a dedicated link between two parties (defined in GSM 03.40)

- cell broadcast (or point-to-omnipoint)–which takes place between the network and all users within a cell or service area (defined in GSM 03.41).

The short message point-to-point service (SMS) comprises two basic services:

- short message mobile-terminated, or SMS-MT, which denotes the capability of the GSM system to deliver a short message to the recipient’s handset and provide a delivery report to the sender

- short message mobile-originated, or SMS-MO, which denotes the capability of the GSM system to transfer a short message submitted by a mobile handset to another handset, GSM modem or server (3) and provide information about the delivery to the sender.

Since mobile marketing campaigns usually run across several operators, the important network components involved in end-to-end communication across two networks.

The SMS gateway is represented by a short message entity (SME) in the context of mobile marketing service architectures. These come in two flavours - GSM modem-based or software-based SMS gateways.

GSM modems are handsets without keyboards or screens-they require a SIM card to operate and the use of a computer to drive them via a serial cable. The throughput of these devices ranges from 6 to 8 messages per minute, or up to 480 messages per hour. They may be used in parallel to increase performance.

The modems and the server running the software that drives the modems are collectively referred to as the SMS gateway. An important limitation of the GSM modem solution is that MO traffic must be directed to individual SIM card numbers, which carry different mobile or MSISDN numbers.

SMS gateways are servers located on a dedicated network and connected to the cellco’s service centre via public or dedicated infrastructure. Typical throughputs for a single SMS gateway range from 3 to more than 50 messages per second. This solution is most commonly used for large-scale mobile marketing campaigns.

The short message service centre (SMSC) handles all functions related to point-to-point SMS. It receives a message from an SME and forwards it to the addressee.

The mobile switching centre (MSC) is a complete exchange system. It is able to route calls from the fixed network to other entities in the mobile network. The MSC uses dedicated functions to forward short messages and exchange information between the network and the service centre.

The visitor location register (VLR) contains the precise paging area of subscribers visiting the network of the serving MSC.

The home location register (HLR) stores the identity and user data of all subscribers belonging to the area of the serving MSC. For SMS, this includes the current handset location, and whether the handset is switched on and available to receive messages.

Finally, the base station subsystem is used as a transport vehicle for SMS over the radio interface.