What is MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)?


MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) is a standard method of sending multimedia messages to and from a mobile phone via a mobile network. Users and providers might refer to a message as a PXT, picture message, or multimedia message.

MMS level enhances the fundamental power of SMS (Short Message Service), allowing the exchange of text messages over 160 characters in length. Unlike text-only SMS, MMS can deliver various media, including 40 seconds of video, single image, multi-image slideshow, or audio.

The first powerful MMS phones were introduced in 2002 in conjunction with the first GSM network. The Sony Ericsson T68i is commonly regarded as the first MMS-enabled mobile phone, with many more following in 2004 and 2005 in North America.

The most common use involves sending images from camera-equipped handsets. Media companies have used MMS commercially to deliver news and entertainment content, and retailers have used it as a tool to provide available coupon codes, product images, videos, and other information.

3GPP and WAP groups have promoted the development of the MMS standard, which is now being developed by the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA).

How does MMS work?

MMS messages are sent in a different way as compared to SMS. The first step is that the sending tool incorporates multimedia content in the same way as sending a MIME message (MIME content formats are defined in the MMS Message Encapsulation adjective).

The message is subsequently sent to the MMS storage and finally to the MMSC (Multimedia Messaging Service Center). If the recipient's MMSC is different from the sender's, MMSC operates as a transmission and sends the message over the Internet to the recipient's MMSC.

When an MMSC recipient receives a message, it first checks whether or not the device is "MMS compatible." The content is downloaded to the temporary cache via HTTP front-end if it supports MMS receiving speeds.

An SMS "control message" with the content's URL is delivered to the recipient's device, causing the recipient's WAP browser to open and accept the material from the embedded URL.

Many other messages are exchanged to indicate the nature of the delivery effort. Some MMSCs offer a translation service that attempts to translate multimedia content into a format suited for the recipient before transmitting it.

If the recipient handset does not support MMS, the message is usually sent to a web-based service, where the content can be viewed using a standard Internet browser.

To deliver the content URL to the recipient's phone, a normal text message is usually utilized. This behaviour is commonly referred to as "legacy experience" because the material is still user-friendly.

Standards do not specify how to determine whether a handset is capable of sending MMS messages. The operator usually maintains the database, and each mobile number is labelled as belonging to the asset device.

Customers can modify their calls at any time, and many of these repositories are not dynamically updated. Therefore, this strategy is problematic.

In a typical MMS system, emails and web-based portals are used. Web distribution is simple since content servers can usually receive service requests from WAP and conventional HTTP browsers.

Most carriers allow the embedded MIME message to be delivered to the recipient's phone number using a unique email address that includes the recipient's public phone number and a unique domain name, which generally touches a specific person by sending external sources to the recipient device.

Advantages of MMS

  • MMS messages are simple to send and receive.

  • We can save and forward the MMS messages that we have received.

  • These services are popular among users because they are simple to use.

  • These are interactive services.

  • Better branding is possible using an image, video, and other media-rich content.

Disadvantages of MMS

  • The MMS service isn't available on every phone. As a result, we won't be able to use this service on all phones.

  • Due to the various display sizes of different phones, certain multimedia content has some resolution difficulties.

  • Although it is a service supplied to us, there are additional fees associated with it. If we need to use this service, we will have to pay additional fees.

  • Users who have opted in to an MMS database may or may not have a phone that supports MMS. Rather than using a network, sending bulk MMS messages is frequently only possible through a dedicated messaging platform.

Updated on: 07-Sep-2021

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