Short+Message+Service+(SMS)

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=Introduction=

Also known as text messaging SMS allows for the sending of text through most digital [|mobile phones] and other wireless electronic devices. Text messaging is a growing phenomenon and appears to be driven forward by SMS through cellphones. Aside from simply communicating SMS can be used to acquire ring tones, wall papers, and participate in competitions/opinion polls.

=History=

Initially SMS was designed for the purpose of alerting the user of specific important events such as incoming voice mail. The development of SMS did not have in mind the use of sending text from one mobile user to another - instead it was conceived as a tool to assist the user in non inter-personal communication.

"The first commercial broadcast took place on December 3rd 1992 by Neil Papworth of Sema Group from a personal computer to Richard Jarvis of Vodafone on the Vodaphone [|GSM] network in the United Kingdom." SMS historically was designed for GSM, but over the years due to its popularity and practicality SMS is available in other networks such as 3G.

"SMS was created when it was incorporated into the Global System for Mobiles (GSM) digital mobile phone standard. A single short message can be up to 160 characters of text in length using default GSM alphabet coding, and 70 characters when UCS2 international character coding is used," (Besley). =How it Works=

Messages are sent through a three step process which begins with a "**store-and-forward**" mechanism than to a "**Short Message Service Center**", which than facilitates the sending of the text to the desired **mobile device**. Messages are delivered on the basis of good conditions ignoring the possibility that it could be delayed or completely lost altogether.

The content of the message is limited by the signaling protocol to exactly 140 bytes. In actuality the message is constrained to around 160 7-bit characters/ 140 8- bit characters. In conditions of other languages constraints are more due to alphabet and thus are generally 140-bit characters or 70 - 2 byte characters for the following languages: Chinese, Arabic, Korea, and Russian. Content can however be segmented through something known as //long SMS// in which each separate message will begin from where the last one left off. Therefore users can type messages longer than the specified byte constraint without worrying to shorten the message.

=Usage=



SMS has grown exponentially in popularity and appears to be the killer application of the 20th century, The exponential growth has inherently resulted from its simple person to person messaging. People typically message how they are feeling and what they are doing. Besides the simple functionality of communicating, SMS is extremely effective in organizing and contacting people if not be possible through voice just to name a few. Essentially SMS has allowed people to communicate in a way never possible before.

To put things into perspective consider in 2004 there were 500 billion SMS being sent per annum. With the mass volume of messages being sent and the fact that majority of messages sent are pre-charged at an average cost of 10 Cents USD this is a 50 billion dollar industry. Geographically speaking SMS is most popular in Europe and Asia, More specifically South Asia where many countries Telecommunication companies offer free SMS. In the past SMS in North America had begun at a slower start than the rest of the world due to popular plans promoting "unlimited minutes" and free "phone to phone" calling. Furthermore, SMS began off as a charge per message initiative, and was not very appealing when compared to the packaged air minutes.

This all changed when [|American Idol] introduced SMS to the Northern American audience when they implemented SMS voting for their favorite characters. Soon after programs such as Much Music and other TV Channels began using "SMS Chat", which dictates the user to send to a specific phone number which will be displayed on TV later. This eventually turned into a craze involving game shows, competitions, opinion polls, and pretty much anything with the attempt of getting the user to use SMS. Why? To increase SMS use/dependency and further increase the market revenue of this multi billion dollar market.

Despite the economical aspect of SMS it is popular entirely on its simplicity and its ability to perform many roles. Whether you are in class and you urgently need to get a hold of your girlfriend, or if you're running low on air minutes, or perhaps you just don't want to talk to the person, SMS is the way to go.

=Text With Caution=



Every year millions of people complain of injuries resulting from text messaging, according to the nationwide survey by Virgin Mobile. Over 100 million text messages are sent everyday, so it is no surprise that 38 per cent of us suffer from sore wrists and thumbs as a result.

The problem stems from the small size of mobiles. People tend to hold the device in their fingers and press the tiny keys with their thumbs. This reverses the computer keyboard position, where clumsy thumbs are relegated to the space bar and let fingers do the typing. And while most text messages are short, the survey shows that users make up for this by sending a lot of them: 10 per cent of those surveyed send up to 100 texts a day.

Virgin Mobile have setup a dedicated [|safe text site]

Stop these exercises if you feel any pain otherwise you can do more harm than good. In your texting hand: And some other advice <[|Source]>
 * Safe Text Exercises:**
 * Tap each finger with the thumb of the same hand. Repeat five times.
 * Pull your thumb firmly with the other hand. Repeat five times.
 * Wrap an elastic band around the tips of fingers and thumb and open your hand against the resistance. Repeat 20 times.
 * Palms down wrap an elastic band around each thumb and force apart. Repeat 20 times.
 * Tap the palm and back of your hand on your thigh as quickly as you can. Repeat 20 times.
 * Massage thumb web, back of forearm and front of forearm. Two minutes.
 * Press and rub in a circular motion the painful nodules in those muscles. Thirty seconds for each nodule.
 * Reach up high with both arms and shake your hands. Reach down low with both arms and shake. Repeat three times.
 * Arms at 45 degrees, squeeze them behind you.
 * If it still hurts after a week of doing exercises, wrap an ice pack on sore hand and arm parts. Do not put ice directly on the skin but wrap in a thin cloth or piece of kitchen roll. Ten minutes on, 10 minutes off. Repeat three times.
 * If texting starts to hurt. Stop. Use the other hand or call instead.
 * Vary the hand you use.
 * Vary the digits you use.
 * Don’t text for more than a few minutes without a break.

=A New Language=

Since SMS is definitely constrained due to byte size of the message as well as the logic of punching out long structured sentences many things have become abbreviated. This abbreviation for practicality as well as efficiency has created a new language known as **[|Text Speak].**

In text speak many words are supplemented with numbers when pronounced sound the same, such as "4" for "for or four" and "2" for "two." Also letters are used to replace actual words based on their similar pronunciation - such as "C" for "see" and "U" for "you." Sometimes this is used in a combination to form sentences - such as "C U l8ter." Ultimately text speak resulted in a need for users to abbreviate some words to allow for a way of typing more quickly.


 * Examples of Abbreviations:**
 * **ABBREVIATIONS** || ||
 * AFAIK || As far as I know ||
 * ATB || All the best ||
 * BTW || By the way ||
 * CID || Consider it done ||
 * CUL8R || Call you later ||
 * EZ || Easy ||
 * H&K || Hug and kiss ||
 * HHIS || Hanging my head in shame ||
 * IYSS || If you says so ||
 * KOTL || Kiss on the lips ||
 * LOL || Laughed out loud / Lot’s of luck ||
 * LTS || Laughing to self ||
 * L8R G8R || See you later alligator ||
 * LUWAMH || Love you with all my heart ||
 * JM2p || Just my two pence worth ||
 * OTOH || On the other hand ||
 * 2MORO || Tomorrow ||
 * CU 2MORO || See you tomorrow ||
 * ROFL || Rolling on the floor laughing ||
 * SHID || Slaps head in disgust ||
 * SOHF || Sense of humour failure ||
 * THX or TX || Thanks ||
 * TTFN || Ta ta for now ||
 * TWIMC || To whom it may concern ||
 * oxoxoxoxo || Hugs and kisses ||
 * WUSIWUG || What you see is what you get ||
 * YBS || You’ll be sorry ||
 * YKWYCD || You know what you could do ||
 * YTLKIN2ME || You talking to me? ||
 * YYSSW || Yeah, yeah, sure, sure, whatever ||

=Social Implications of SMS=



Perhaps the true value of SMS on society can be further understood from the political, criminal, and social impacts it has had on society.
 * The **political** realization of SMS has been seen by South Asian government like Malaysia who have in the past used it in campaigning for and against certain political candidates. Rumours and character assignation of candidates have been facilitated through mass SMS through mobile cell phone holders. It is ironic that the cell phone, originally an empowering tool of sending and receiving, has also become a tool to assemble the masses in opinion for or against certain issues. In other circumstances such as the Madrid Bombings that occurred in Spain SMS was used to rally thousands in protest.
 * **Socially** the power of SMS has been realized in the fact it has become an essential tool in abbreviated communication. Sometimes people are in preference towards sending a text, which does not carry overtones of emotion, stress, and etc. It is frank, to the point, and sometimes can be encrypted in the sense it is so abbreviated where only you and the receivers can only understand. The staggering 500 billion messages sent in 2004 further demonstrate its popularity. Perhaps Hurricane Katrina can show us how miraculous SMS can be. When landlines were down relatives, friends, and associates sent SMS to get in contact with loved ones.
 * Josh Dhaliwal, head of research mobile Youth, claims that text message addiction among young people is an "accident waiting to happen" he goes on to discuss that texting could endanger young people's **health and emotional well-being**. Research has found that some people suffer withdrawal symptoms and sleep deprivation if their phone does not ring this leads to a lack of self esteem and anxiety in people.
 * The mass communication of SMS was demonstrated **criminally** in Australia with the [|Racial Riots]. After an altercation at [|Cronullo beach] between men of "Arab in Origin" and "Whites" where the apparent aggressors were Arabs a mass riot was initiated via SMS. Anonymous SMS were sent throughout the country rallying for a riot against the altercation. The ironic thing is this riot escalated beyond that of the small incident which ignited it, and sent Australia into turmoil of racial violence. Thousands of white took to the beach and assaulted Arabs, while later Arabs gathered in the thousands and took revenge with their own violence.

=Related Links=

[|SMS Website] [|SMS Translator]

=Bibliography=

Besley, Bill. "Talk the Talk". __Cyberbullying.__ 28 Feb. 2006. 

"SMS." __Wikipedia__. 27. 25 Feb. 2006 [|].

McConnell, Brian. "Back to the Future - Morse Code and Cellular Phones." __O'Reilly Network__. 28 June 2005. 25 Feb. 2006 [|.]

"CUL8R" RCreated in Adobe Illustrator "SMS" and "USE," flickr. [|] "Girl's Texting" <[|source]>
 * Image:**