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