| Most wireless handheld devices such as | | | | @archwireless.net (web page) |
| Blackberries offer the ability to send and receive | | | | 160 |
| email messages to some degree. Despite the fact | | | | ATT Wireless |
| the PDA devices and services vary, handheld | | | | @mobile.att.net (web page) |
| email has become a popular business | | | | 160 |
| communication tools. Using PDA devices has | | | | Cingular Wireless |
| become so prevalent in fact, that most senior | | | | (web page) |
| executives that use Blackberries understand the | | | | 160 |
| term "crackberry" all too well. | | | | Metrocall |
| A downside to business wireless email lies in the | | | | @airmessage.net (web page) |
| way in which it is used and infrastructure | | | | 200 |
| components involved. For example, an assistant | | | | Nextel |
| may send an email to an executive that is | | | | (web page) |
| attending a meeting, or a support person may | | | | 500 |
| receive a network based alert while performing a | | | | Qwest |
| service call. Both of these examples increase | | | | (web page) |
| productivity and efficiency. However, both | | | | 160 |
| examples also depend upon your companies IT | | | | Rogers |
| infrastructure to function. | | | | (web page) |
| Could your company electronically communicate if | | | | 160 |
| your Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES), SMTP | | | | SkyTel |
| gateway, internet connection, or other core email | | | | (web page) |
| component failed? What would happen during an | | | | 500 |
| emergency event or natural disaster? Would your | | | | Sprint |
| ability to communicate via electronically be | | | | (web page) |
| crippled? | | | | 160 |
| If the answer is yes, you may wish to consider | | | | T-Mobile |
| Short Message Service (SMS) text message for | | | | @tmomail.net (web page) |
| message redundancy. SMS, or text messaging as | | | | 140 |
| it is commonly referred, offers the ability to send | | | | US Cellular |
| short text messages without involving your | | | | @mms.uscc.net (web page) |
| companies IT infrastructure. The diagram below | | | | 160 |
| illustrates basic SMS message flow. | | | | Verizon Wireless |
| | | | (web page) |
| Just about all wireless providers offer SMS | | | | 160 |
| packages. If your wireless devices are SMS | | | | Armed with the SMS email address it is just a |
| capable, implementation requires nothing more | | | | matter of typing then sending the message. As |
| than enabling the service and a little user | | | | the chart above shows, different providers |
| education. The first step in SMS utilization is to | | | | support different message lengths. When sending |
| contact your wireless service provider. Providers | | | | a SMS message across providers, message length |
| normally offer a given number of SMS messages | | | | should be limited to 140 characters to insure |
| with each wireless packages, so before you | | | | cross-provider compatibility. Update your wireless |
| spend additional resources review your current | | | | handheld contact list to include SMS addresses and |
| plan to see what is included. If SMS is to be used | | | | you will have an emergency messaging method if |
| for redundant or emergency communications only, | | | | needed. |
| your current plan may offer the capacity you | | | | What happens if I need to send an SMS message |
| need. If you find your current plan does not offer | | | | to a wireless device and I do not have a wireless |
| SMS or the desired capacity, exercise caution | | | | device? The SMS address is the key. If the SMS |
| when dealing with your provider. Most wireless | | | | is known, you can send the device a message |
| providers view SMS as an outstanding revenue | | | | from a normal email client, the providers web site, |
| source. | | | | or programmatically. Most providers offer the |
| The second step is educating your users on how | | | | ability to send their customers SMS message via |
| to send SMS messages. It is actually quite simple. | | | | a web page. Text or a button labeled "send a |
| Wireless providers provide 'SMS email addresses' | | | | text message" is prominently displayed on most |
| with their service. The table below lists some well | | | | provider web sites. As this is a revenue source, |
| known providers and their SMS email address | | | | providers offer everyone the ability to send their |
| formats. | | | | customers SMS messages. |
| Provider | | | | Normal email clients can also be used to send SMS |
| Information | | | | messages as long as the SMS address is used |
| Max | | | | and maximum message length requirements are |
| Length | | | | followed. |
| Alltel | | | | An often overlooked use for SMS is in alert |
| (web page) | | | | messaging. Services that perform email, web site, |
| 160 | | | | and other network infrastructure monitoring could, |
| Ameritech | | | | and probably should, be setup to use SMS |
| SBC Paging | | | | addresses. Since key components could fail and |
| (web page) | | | | leave normal infrastructure components unusable, |
| 230 | | | | SMS offers an alternate way to insure message |
| Arch | | | | delivery. |