SMS Text Messaging is very popular, and new technology that improves cell phone bandwidth will make Multimedia Messages the new preferred communications method.
Exchanging text messages, technically identified as Short Message System (SMS), but more commonly referred to as “texting”, is a simple, effortless, and handy way to keep in touch between cell phones. Not just a great method for people to communicate, SMS texting can be a sensible way for software applications to exchange simple messages, and even setup commands, to and from mobile phones. SMS texting does not require a direct connection between mobile devices; the communications infrastructure for the process is already prepared, and it functions across most cellular networks. One facet of text messaging that makes it particularly sensible for mobile software applications is that it utilizes smartphone fixed identity, the phone number. This feature provide a unique benefit over other technologies that utilize IP addresses because a mobile phone IP address will vary depending on current network.
Short Message Service (SMS) is a communication service component of the GSM mobile communication system. It utilizes standardized communications protocols that allow incoming and outgoing short text messages between mobile devices. SMS text messaging is the most commonly used data application in the world, boasting about 2.4 billion active users, or three quarters of all mobile phone subscribers.
SMS texting as used on modern smartphones was originally included as part of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) series of protocols in 1985 as a means of sending texts of up to 160 characters, to and from GSM mobile handsets. Since then service support has extended to include other mobile technology such as ANSI CDMA networks and Digital AMPS, as well as satellite and landline networks. The majority of SMS messages are mobile-to-mobile text messages, though the standard supports other types of broadcast messaging as well. Computer to mobile device SMS capabilities are also expanding rapidly.
GSM was initially referred to Groupe Spécial Mobile. It is the most popular standard for mobile telephone systems in the world. The GSM Association, the promoting industry association of mobile phone operators and manufacturers, estimates that about 80% of the world mobile market uses the standard. GSM is utilized by over 3 billion people across more than two hundred countries and territories. Its pervasiveness allows international roaming arrangements between mobile phone network providers, offering subscribers the use of their mobile phones in many parts of the world. GSM differs from its predecessor technologies demonstrated by the fact that both signaling and speech channels are digital. Thus GSM is thought of as a second generation (2G) mobile phone system. This also eases the wide-spread implementation of data communication software.
The pervasiveness of GSM deployment can be seen as a benefit for consumers that are given the ability to roam and switch carriers without needing to replace their smartphones, and also to network providers, who can choose equipment from a variety of equipment vendors. GSM is credited with pioneering affordable implementation of SMS texting, which is now supported on other mobile phone standards.
Newer versions of the standard work with the initial GSM system. Release ‘97 of the standard added packet data capabilities by means of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). Release ‘99 launched higher speed data transmission through Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE).
General packet radio service (GPRS) is a packet oriented mobile data service available to users of the 2G and 3G GSM. In 2G systems. GPRS data transfer is typically charged per megabyte of datasent and received, while data communication using traditional circuit switching is billed per unit of connection time, without consideration of whether or not the user actually is using it or if it is in an idle state. GPRS is a best-effort packet switched service, as opposed to circuit switching, that has guaranteed quality of service during the connection for non-mobile users.
2G cellular systems combined with GPRS are often referred to as 2.5G. 2.5G is a technology bridge between the second (2G) and third (3G) generations of cell phone telephony. It delivers moderate-speed data transfer, by using unused time division multiple access (TDMA) channels. Initially there was some thought to extend GPRS to cover other standards, however these networks are converting to the GSM standard. GPRS is integrated into GSM Release 97 and newer releases.
GPRS was created as a GSM reaction to the earlier CDPD and i-mode packet switched cellular technology. Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) was a wide-area mobile data service which used unused bandwidth normally used by AMPS mobile phones. It was discontinued in conjunction with the discontinuation of the parent AMPS service.
CDPD was developed in the early 1990’s, and was seen as a future technology. However, it had competition from then current slower but less expensive Mobitex and DataTac systems. CDPD never gained widespread acceptance and in time newer, faster standards such as GPRS earned general acceptance and became predominant.
For consumers CDPD had very limited appeal. AT&T Wireless initially sold the technology in the US under the brandname PocketNet, one of the very first consumer wireless web service products. Cingular Wireless later offered CDPD under the Wireless Internet brand (as opposed to Wireless Internet Express, Cingular Wireless GPRS/EDGE data). AT&T Wireless PocketNet failed as a product launch. However, CDPD was used by a number of enterprise and government networks. It was particularly successful as a first-generation wireless data solution for telemetry devices (machine to machine communications) and for public safety mobile data terminals.
Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) (also known as Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS), or IMT Single Carrier (IMT-SC), and Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) is a backward-compatible digital mobile technology that provides superior data transmission rates on top of standard GSM. EDGE is considered a 3G radio technology. EDGE supplies more than three-fold increase in both the capacity and performance of GSM/GPRS networks by using advanced techniques of coding and transmitting data, that produce higher bit-rates per radio channel. EDGE delivers broadband performance and supports high bandwidth data applications such as Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).
A very interesting software application that uses the connectivity between the mobile and the internet to capture and archive MMS Multi-Media Messages, GPS location, SMS messages, and Call Event Logs is PhoneBeagle Mobile Monitoring. Follow this link if you are interested in Cell Phone Monitoring Software that is compatible with BlackBerry and Android Smartphones,. Visit this link for more information regarding the latest software for Parental Monitoring and Employee Monitoring of Mobile Phones .
Tags: Employee Monitoring, GSM, MMS Multimedia Messages, Mobile SMS, Parental Monitoring, Phone Monitoring
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