Siemens has teamed-up with leading mobile phone manufacturers Nokia and Sony Ericsson to ensure the rapid global development of Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). MMS follows on from the successful Short Message Service (SMS) technology.
Manufacturers are keen to capitalise on the success of the SMS technology. Together with AU-Systems, a mobile Internet consultancy, tools and services are being developed for interoperability testing on MMS.
Kerry Robinson, Marketing Manager for Siemens Mobile Phones South Africa, says: "SMS has proven to be extremely successful means of communicating among all mobile phones users. MMS is just as easy and convenient to use as SMS but is loads more fun. This industry collaboration will ensure a high user adoption from the beginning."
MMS uses Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) powered by the transmission technology of GSM, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS). Where MMS goes beyond SMS, which is limited to text of 160 characters, is that as a global standard it will enable users to deliver messages containing text, audio, graphics, photographic images, and even video clips between mobile devices.
MMS-enabled phones will feature a built-in media editor that allows users to easily create and edit the content of their multimedia messages. Users will also be able to generate personal postcards via a digital camera attached to the terminal. They can add text and attach audio clips to the photograph before sending it directly to another MMS-capable phone or to a recipient's e-mail address.
The first MMS enabled products are expected to be commercially available during 2002.
The Siemens Information and Communication Mobile Group (IC Mobile) offers the complete range of mobile solutions including mobile devices, infrastructure and applications. Devices include mobile phones, wireless modules, mobile organisers and cordless phones as well as products for wireless home networks.
The infrastructure portfolio includes GSM, GPRS and 3G mobile network technologies from base stations and switching systems to intelligent networks, eg for prepaid services. Mobile Applications cover end-to-end solutions for messaging, location-based services or mobile payment. For the fiscal year 2001 (30 September), IC Mobile recorded sales of EUR 11.3 billion and employed 30 730 people worldwide.
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