How to Build an SMS Service

Jordan Schwartz

Brian Retford

Copyright © 2007 O'Reilly Media, Inc.

June 22, 2007

Abstract

The simple text message application that appears on virtually all mobile phones is the ultimate thin client, allowing your users access to the full computing power and informational depth of the Internet from a cheap cell phone on a mountaintop.

Building an SMS service can be quite simple. This tutorial guides you through a variety of implementations, giving you the information you need to choose one that best fits your unique needs and circumstances. More than that, though, it seeks to help you understand the core principles necessary to make your service a success.

Thanks to Grady Leno, Michael Smuga, Quentin Miller and Dennis Crowley for kind advice.

SMS, or Short Message Service, is rapidly emerging as a multibillion dollar a year industry. A leading research firm reports that consumer spending on mobile services represents a $140 billion opportunity worldwide, with person-to-person SMS making up half of that. Portio Research reported that there were 946 billion SMSs sent in 2006. Clearly, the medium has hit the mainstream.

Reach and mobility are SMSs most powerful draws. There are 2.41 billion SMS-ready handsets in the world today, enough for a third of the world's population. In fact, some 30 countries have more than one cell phone per person.

As for mobility, anywhere ...