Do you know the definition of the abbreviation SMS? This article provides everything you need to know about the meaning of SMS and SMS texting!
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Kevin
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February 5, 2022
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Common Questions
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We text every day, but what do we really know about SMS texting? Read on for a definition of SMS, an explanation of SMS texting, and the difference between SMS and MMS! We’ll even give you some alternate definitions of SMS, just in case you encounter them in your daily life.
What Does SMS Usually Stand For?
SMS stands for short message service. This is commonly referred to as texting. Often, when mobile phones send messages, they are sent as SMS messages. These are limited to a maximum of 160 characters.
All mobile phones have the capacity to send SMS text messages to a recipient, and the cost of sending SMS messages will vary depending on the carrier like Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and more.
We can use SMS text messages for interpersonal communication and marketing. Some people might view marketing texts as spam, but many companies use SMS marketing to communicate with customers.
These marketing SMS messages can be advertisements, appointment reminders, confirmations, and more types of helpful information. These texts are sent to the recipient’s phone with varying response rates and engagement.
While these texts can be more annoying than useful to their target audience, some people prefer receiving marketing information through text instead of email. There are often regulations on text marketing to make sure it doesn’t cross the line into spam.
Like email, SMS messages use Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) via a Short Message Service Center (SMSC), according to Your Dictionary.
What Is the History of Text Messaging?
Friedhelm Hillebrand and Bernard Ghillebaert first developed the concept of SMS messaging in 1984 in what is known as the Franco-German GSM cooperation. Eight years later, in 1992, the first text message was sent from Neil Papworth. The developer from Sema Group Telecoms sent the message “Merry Christmas” via a personal computer to someone named Richard Jarvis at Vodafone.
When text messaging was first invented, most cell phones didn’t have a keyboard, so earliest texting came as network notifications, notifications of voice mail messages, and billing alerts. Nokia was the first manufacturer to make a phone with a keyboard, called the Nokia 9000i Communicator.
In 1995, Americans only sent roughly 0.4 texts per month. However, by 2000, this number was up to 35 per month. By the year 2007, Americans were sending and receiving more text messages than phone calls. This technology grew incredibly quickly.
What Is the Difference Between SMS and MMS?
MMS messages are an upgraded version of SMS text messages. MMS stands for multimedia messaging service, but the technology is based on SMS text messaging. While SMS texts can only send characters, MMS texts can include photos, GIFs, audio messages, and video, hence the word multimedia.
These MMS messages also don’t have a character limit, unlike SMS text messages. Rich Communications Services (RCS) are another upgraded type of SMS.
There are also other different forms of messaging services, like iMessage, WhatsApp, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, and social media chat applications. These services use an internet connection to send messages, though the phone does not necessarily have to be on WiFi to use it.
Android and Apple devices often have applications to use internet messaging on a global system. These devices simply need a data connection like LTE, 4G, or 5G. iPhones differentiate between iMessage and SMS text messages by the bubble color in the Messages app. Blue bubbles are iMessages, and green bubbles are SMS texts.
What Else Can the Abbreviation SMS Stand For?
While SMS is most commonly used in reference to text messaging, it can also stand for numerous different titles and phrased. Take a look at this list from The Free Dictionary, and learn what else SMS can mean:
- Strutting My Stuff
- Short Messaging System
- St. Michael School (various schools)
- Storage Managers
- Shader Management System
- Service Management System (SS7/AIN)
- Sheet Music Service
- Systems Management Server
- Storage Management Services
- Stable Micro Systems (various locations)
- Special Medical Services
- Smart Materials and Structures
- System Mass Storage
- Special Multicast Server
- Strategic Management System (US Army)
- Singh Medical College (India)
- Site Replication Service
- Solidstate Modular System
- SDH Management System (Sprint)
- Special Monitoring Status
- Spirit of Math Schools Inc (Toronto, ON and Winnipeg, MB)
- Software Modification Sheet
- Smart Mediary Systems
- Selecta Mathematica Sovietica
- Square Multiply Square (mathematics)
- Student Motorsport Scotland (RAC-MSA car club)
- Stupid Man Syndrome
- Sprint Mailing Services
- Software Maintenance Support (various organizations)
- Service Management System
- School of Mathematics and Science (various schools)
- Selective Multicast Server
- Single Malt Scotch
- Ssa Message Structure
- System Manager Software
- Strategic Management Society
- Siemens Medical Solutions
- Steel Melting Shop (manufacturing)
- Super Mario Sunshine (video game)
- Sudden Motion Sensor (hardware)
- Spend Management Solution
- Safety Management Systems (airlines)
- Sustainability Management System (various organizations)
- System Managed Storage
- Secure Messaging Service (software)
- Service Management Solution
Conclusion
The abbreviation SMS stands for short message service. SMSing is often the default chat used for mobile communications and alerts. Standard SMS rates and applications often apply when sending SMS messages.
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