Glossary

GSM

Short for Global System for Mobile Communications, one of the leading digital cellular systems. GSM uses narrowband TDMA, which allows eight simultaneous calls on the same radio frequency.

GSM was first introduced in 1991. As of the end of 1997, GSM service was available in more than 100 countries and has become the de facto standard in Europe and Asia.

SMS

Short Message Service (SMS) is the transmission of short text messages to and from a mobile phone, fax machine and/or IP address. Messages must be no longer than 160 alpha-numeric characters and contain no images or graphics.

Once a message is sent, it is received by a Short Message Service Center (SMSC), which must then get it to the appropriate mobile device.

To do this, the SMSC sends a SMS Request to the home location register (HLR) to find the roaming customer. Once the HLR receives the request, it will respond to the SMSC with the subscriber's status:

1) inactive or active
2) where subscriber is roaming.

If the response is "inactive", then the SMSC will hold onto the message for a period of time. When the subscriber accesses his device, the HLR sends a SMS Notification to the SMSC, and the SMSC will attempt delivery.

The SMSC transfers the message in a Short Message Delivery Point to Point format to the serving system. The system pages the device, and if it responds, the message gets delivered. The SMSC receives verification that the message was received by the end user then categorizes the message as "sent" and will not attempt to send again.

The number of mobile-phone users expects to reach 500 million worldwide by 2003, and with the help of SMS, 75 percent of all cellular phones will be Internet-enabled.

Enhanced Messaging Service ("EMS")

EMS is a mechanism by which users can send a comparatively richer message that is a combination of text, simple melodies, pictures (simple, black and white) and animations to an EMS compliant handset.

EMS is based on the existing SMS. EMS extends the User Data Header (UDH makes in possible to include binary information in the message header) in the SMS and requires no upgrade to the network infrastructure.

To be able to send EMS SMS, mobile phone sets need to be EMS compliant. The first EMS mobile phone sets were introduced by Motorola, Alcatel.

Multimedia Messaging Service ("MMS")

MMS is the next evolution of SMS, which requires substantial changes to the network infrastructure. It is capable to allow a combination of text, sounds, images, and video.

MMS supports pictures and interactive video. For example: it is possible to send mobile greeting cards and visiting cards using MMS. Similar to EMS SMS, mobile phone sets needs to be MMS compliant.

Wireless Application Protocol ("WAP")

WAP is an attempt to define the standard on how the content for the internet is filtered for mobile communications. It provides data-oriented (non-voice) services to the mass market and is capable of benefiting a greater number of endusers, as compared to the personal computer.

WAP provides a universal open standard for bringing internet content an advanced value added service to mobile phones and other wireless devices. It is the platform for the new generation of media phone.

As a result, WAP makes a wide range of wireless network technology possible. WAP enables users of WAP compliant mobile phones to gain access to information, stock trading, bnking services, directory services and exchange rates, flight schedule.