EMS (Enhanced Message Service)

SMS is changing and a new mobile messaging standard is coming to the forefront of mobile telecommunications. It's known as the Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS). Standard 160-character text messages have now progressed to multi-media messages, consisting of pictures, melodies, animations and styled text all of which adds a new dimension to simple text messages.

In the same easy way as users compose an SMS message they will now have new ways to express feelings, moods and their own individuality. EMS will allow users to create and exchange pictures, ringtones and other melodies, by downloading them from the Internet or creating custom multi-media directly on the phone.

EMS is built using the existing SMS infrastructure and is a cross-industry collaboration between the handset manufacturers Ericsson, Motorola, Siemens and Alcatel, and solutions developers who provide the ability to embed simple multi-media inside SMS messages.

If an EMS message is delivered to a mobile phone that does not have EMS software, the user will only see the text in the same way as an SMS. As it works with the existing infrastructure laid down for SMS, as well as utilizing the same familiar user interfaces it will remain compatible with existing mobile devices.

EMS adds powerful new functionality to the SMS standard. It expands the base of applications which use wireless messaging.

Whereas MMS is geared more for use with the up and coming 3G revolution, EMS can be made use of within the current GSM infrastructure.

Also see the SMS and MMS sections.

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