A Limerick-based telecoms software supplier is bidding to become the first provider of commercial short message services (SMS) in Ireland. SkyCom Software said this week it was at an advanced stage of negotiations with Ireland's two mobile phone operators, Esat Digifone and Eircell.
SMS allows the delivery and receipt of short text messages to and from mobile phones. SMS is currently only available from mobile phone to mobile phone within the same network. However Eircell and Esat have agreed to cooperate soon to exchange customers' messages between networks. The SkyCom service could offer considerable cost benefits for businesses with mobile workforces, in particular where both pagers and mobile phones are in regular use. Its Message Master software makes it possible to send and receive four text messages via a PC to GSM mobile phones anywhere, for the price of one mobile phone call.
While the commercial delivery of the service relies on the outcome of its negotiations with Esat Digifone and Eircell, SkyCom's Message Master software is already up and running among a test group. Messages can currently be sent to both Esat and Eircell subscribers. Delivery of short text messages to mobile phones does not require the same quality of coverage as a typical voice message. SMS allows the retrieval of text messages in areas where voice coverage is poor. The system is capable of sending up to 500 messages per hour to a mobile workforce for a quarter of the normal telephony cost. Security is increased by eliminating the third party traditionally required for pager message delivery. It is also possible to issue email alerts to phones detailing the sender and the subject field of the message.
While the service simply requires a PC and a mobile phone to deliver messages, in order for the PC user to receive SMS they need a GSM desktop module, either in the form of a mobile phone or dedicated module for the GSM network.
Though Ireland has lagged behind the rest of Europe in SMS adoption, SkyCom is confident text messaging will form the basis of the next step in mobile interaction. According to Mr Tom Doherty, SkyCom sales director: "Accuracy of information to people on the road, such as sales or service personnel, is total using the SMS service. SMS is confidential, fast, accurate and above all inexpensive."
The software interface has been designed to Windows 95/98 and NT standards, and is highly intuitive. Message recipients can be sorted into separate groupings or listed individually. The same messages can be stored for re-use, and the time of message delivery can be pre-set. Message Master is a German-developed software product which has been localised for the Irish market. SkyCom says it plans to extend its services to offer stock quotations, news bulletins, weather forecasts and traffic information if there is customer demand.
