MMS Introduction

An MMS message can contain any combination of graphics, photographic imagery and audio. Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is an end-to-end solution enabling operators to deliver a rich MMS experience to customers. You can now combine text, pictures, photos, animations, speech and audio for the ultimate messaging experience. You can also send your messages regardless of the handset you are using - from mobile phone, PDCs, Palm Pilots, or PCs.

A multimedia message can, for example, be a photo or picture postcard annotated with text and/or an audio clip, a synchronized playback of audio, text, photo or, in the near future, a video emulating a free-running presentation or a video clip. It can also simply be a drawing combined with text. MMS makes it possible for mobile users to send these multimedia messages from MMS-enabled handsets to other mobile users and to e-mail users. It also makes it possible for mobile users to receive multimedia messages from other mobile users, e-mail users and from multimedia enabled applications.

The technology opens up a world of opportunities, allowing users to access content from the world's leading providers, using cutting-edge handsets and an advanced multimedia platform. MMS crosses all boundaries and is predicted to be a major boost to the GPRS market. MMS builds on the successful message-push paradigm of SMS and enhances communication possibilities for mobile users by integrating the new standards from 3GPP and the WAP forum.

MMS enables multimedia messages containing content such as pictures, music, images, graphics, and ring tones. It is expected to be one of the key services that will drive demand for WAP and GPRS. Openwave's open approach to MMS, a mandatory requirement of the GSM Association Mobile Services Initiative, demonstrates the company's commitment to supporting and driving standards that help to ensure interoperability, rapid adoption and delivery of compelling multimedia end-user services. The MMS solution is open and already fully compliant with 3GPP and WAP Forum standards. In addition, Openwave is committed to ongoing industry initiatives with regards to interoperability.

Features

Powerfully adapted: A mobile phone that supports MMS is an amazingly versatile device. The ability to take, edit and send images empowers users in all areas of life, enhancing personal connectivity and efficiency. In the workplace it functions as a powerful tool for both conveying and responding to ideas. During leisure time it adds a whole new dimension to sharing personal experiences. With phone-to-phone as well as phone-to-Internet capability, MMS can also serve as a virtual email client. Images, sound, and video sequences can also be stored in the phone for later use. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, MMS brings the power and freedom of complete communication to your fingertips.

Tailored for individuals: Say it in words, say it with pictures, animate it, add high-quality sound or video – or do it all at once! Parents wouldn’t let your new boyfriend come on your family holiday? Use your mobile phone to send him a digital postcard and aug-ment it with an audio clip of your own voice telling him how much you miss him! Want to buy him a sweater while shopping downtown? Use your phone’s MMS capabilities to send an instant digital image to see if he might like it.

Made to last:Currently being adopted by most network operators and mobile device manufacturers, MMS soon will be a standard mobile phone feature and the default messaging mode. MMS supports standard image formats such as GIF and JPEG, video formats such as MPEG 4, and audio formats such as MP3, MIDI and WAV. Built to last, MMS technology works in existing GSM networks (over WAP, the industry standard protocol for mobile data exchange) and with the new high speed 3G technologies that will take it to its fullest extreme.