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eSMS
Bringing SMS and MMS to your desktop
The way we communicate has changed almost beyond recognition in the space of little more than a decade. Internet, mobile phones, instant messaging and voice-over-IP, technologies almost unheard of even a decade ago, are now integral to the way we communicate.
People now stay in touch across borders, 24 hours a day, seven days a week from their computers and mobile phones.
The convergence of wireless and fixed-line services is the latest trend in global communication; increasingly, people want to share information from their desktops with people on the move or simply away from their desks. This is where PC-to-mobile messaging – a truly convergent service – comes in.
PC-to-mobile messaging
PC-to-mobile messaging, a concept developed by General Wireless, works from all PCs to all mobiles. It enables people to compose SMS and MMS on their computers and send them to mobile phones. Moreover, SMS and MMS can be sent not only to mobiles, but also to fixed-line phones and to applications such as MMS albums and even to voting lines for programs like Big Brother.
General Wireless’s pioneering of PC-to-mobile messaging through its eSMS product range won it the 2005 Frost & Sullivan Award for Outstanding Entrepreneurship.
Why is this attractive for end users?
For the end user, PC-to-mobile messaging allows for easy, convenient and fast communication with customers, colleagues and friends. It is unbeatable if you want to communicate brief, urgent information to a group of people who are on the move. Why fiddle with the small keypad on your mobile to send an SMS or MMS when you’re sitting next to your computer?
So, yet another application to download to our hard drives? Well, not exactly. The eSMS range of products is integrated seamlessly into applications that most of us already use every day, including Microsoft® Outlook®, Microsoft® Outlook® Express and Microsoft® Internet® Explorer. Payment for using eSMS could not be easier – the cost of sending messages is simply added to your standard mobile phone bill or prepaid account.
Why is this attractive for operators?
For operators, the big advantage of PC-to-mobile messaging is that it will increase revenues.
Getting customers to start using mobile data services has been an uphill struggle for many operators. PC-to-mobile messaging is a good way to introduce more customers to data services, bringing them higher up the value chain.
By providing a value-added service that customers find useful, operators also increase loyalty to their brand. They also increase the exposure of their brand by importing it to the customer’s desktop.
eSMS: PC to mobile in a natural environment
eSMS is a suite of PC plug-ins to enable SMS and MMS to be sent from computers, in the most natural environment possible. The application is available for Outlook, enabling people to use eSMS in familiar contexts.
eSMS Desktop is a new concept that makes it easy to compose SMS or MMS using one of a variety of Windows applications. In order to bring all your communications into one programme, eSMS Desktop can be integrated into Outlook Express. It can also be used through a toolbar plug-in in Internet Explorer.
It is integrated with the Windows Address Book, remembers telephone numbers you’ve used before and enables drag and drop of both text and phone numbers, making it easy to send your MMS or SMS to your contacts. eSMS Desktop makes it so easy to send multimedia files or text. You can put multimedia content or text into your message by right-clicking in Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer, or simply by dragging and dropping.
End-user features
SMS
- SMS sending via 'New SMS' button in command bar
- Support for concatenated messages
- SMS Notifications from meeting reminders
- Scheduled SMS messages for later delivery
- SMS Outbox folder stores messages composed offline, meeting reminders and scheduled messages
MMS
- MMS sending via 'New MMS' button in command bar
- Rich multimedia support; text, images, sound, video, MMS text messaging
- Intelligent downsizing and conversion of multimedia files
- Support for SMIL
- "Simple Mode" for rapid creation of MMS, compose-and-send as easily as e-mail
- "Advanced Mode" for creation of more complex MMS presentations
General
- Integration with address book in Microsoft environments
- Reminder popup informing users of new versions of plug-ins available for download
- Status/delivery confirmation of all sent messages
- Extensive branding; icons, images, texts and documentation can be customized
- Sent SMS/MMS folder stores sent messages
About eSMS
eSMS comprises a suite of PC plug-ins and a carrier-grade platform, MMP
PC plug-ins for:
- Microsoft Outlook
- Desktop (Outlook Express, Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer)
MMP
The MMP is a carrier-grade platform for high-capacity distribution of SMS and MMS. It runs on a LINUX platform and ORACLE database. It is typically integrated into the operator’s systems for:
- SMS-C, MMS-C
- Provisioning systems
- Billing systems
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