All About Business Text Messaging

Text messaging (often referred to as "texting") is the common term used to describe the sending of short messages (no more than 160 characters, including spaces) to or from a mobile phone using the Short Message Service (SMS). These messages are usually called text messages, texts or SMS. SMS gateways can connect mobile SMS services with desktop computers (via the world wide web) and even landline telephones (through screen displays or speech synthesis).

Short message services are developing very rapidly throughout the world. In 2000, just 17 billion SMS messages were sent; in 2001, the number was up to 250 billion, and 500 billion SMS messages in 2004. At an average cost of USD 0.10 per message, this generates revenues in excess of $50 billion for mobile telephone operators and represents close to 100 text messages for every person in the world.

As with any other popular medium, text messaging has been developed to facilitate several business sms functions. Sending a text message from a PC, for example, is in many cases quicker and cheaper than conveying the same information by making a call. This can make business text messaging extremely effective for sending short marketing messages to opt-in subscribers, or reminding clients of appointments, for example. Premium rate sms services have also become increasingly popular, allowing for secure, instant payment for a product or service without cash or a bank card. This payment reflects the value of the product or service as if paying in cash, and is added onto the user's phone bill. Premium rate sms services are most often used for delivering digital content such as news and sports alerts, financial information, graphics, ringtones and adult content, but they are increasingly being used for "real-world" services. For example, some vending machines now allow payment by sending a premium-rated short message.

With mobile email becoming increasingly popular and included on the majority of handsets provided with new contracts nowadays, only time will tell if SMS will remain as a popular form of communication. In the meantime, however, text messaging will continue to thrive as more and more of us find ourselves inseparable from our mobile phones.