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The acronym SMS is for Short Message Service, also known as texting in some countries such as the United States. SMS is a method of communication that sends text between cell phones, or from a PC or handheld devices to a cell phone. The maximum size of the text messages is 160 characters – letters, numbers or symbols in the Latin alphabet. For other alphabets or Unicode texts, such as Chinese, the maximum SMS size is 70 characters.
Your handset uses Short Message Peer to Peer Protocol (SMPP) protocol to communicate with telephone operator gateways. SMPP transmits messages to and from GSM, UMTS, iDEN, CDMA and TDMA mobile phones. The protocol is a level-7 TCP/IP protocol, which provides for fast delivery of SMS messages.
This service goes beyond SMS to accommodate longer text length. An MMS message is transmitted through the mobile web, so a mobile phone must acquire a data connection to receive such messages. In most cases, MMS supports only messaging between two connections on the same operator.
An SMS provider company like SMS-Magic buys SMSC connections directly from telecom operators and submits messages to telecom operators. Telecom operators then send messages to end devices. This works in the reverse direction for Inbound numbers or VMNs (Virtual Mobile Numbers).
TCPA or DND are basic laws which prevent misuse of SMS for unsolicited usage. SMS is a popular direct marketing medium, and anyone can send a SMS message to mobile numbers. In the past, SMS has been misused by marketers and consumers were spammed with unsolicited messages. Telecom regulatory authorities of most countries now regulate unsolicited message transmission.