Despite the rise of social networks as a communication tool, the lowly text messages continue to be a favourite with smartphones users in the US.  New research By Deloitte found that more than half of the smartphone users surveyed there send a text every few hours, and the vast majority (84%) send at least one text message every day.  For most mobile phone users the SMS was the first choice communication tool, and it doesn’t look as though it will be losing this position anytime soon.

The report concluded that it was unlikely that in the future social networks would replace SMS as a communication too.  Instead it thought that texts should be viewed in terms of complimenting social networks, for example businesses could use texts as a short fast introduction to longer communication online.  It also concluded that enthusiastic users of SMS are just as likely to be avid users of mobile email and social networks.  Keeping in touch seems to be what is important – anyway and everyway.

//Despite the rise of social networks as a communication tool, the lowly text messages continue to be a favourite with smartphones users in the US. ...

No one likes getting spam, least of all as a text message on their mobile phone.  Although such a practise is outlawed through most of the developed world, the odd bit of spam still gets through (…I had one just the other last week).  However it is in the developing world where SMS spam can be a real headache.  In India alone it is thought that up to 100 million spam text messages are sent every day.

Of course, spam filters have been developed for SMS in the past, but they aren’t fool-proof.  It can be very difficult for an application to identify spam because the text messages are so short, with slang and abbreviations just making things worse.  

//No one likes getting spam, least of all as a text message on their mobile phone.  Although such a practise is outlawed through most of the develo...

You may not be aware of it, but a new European directive on disabled access to the Emergency Services comes into effect this May. Under the regulations access to the emergency services must be the same (or as close as possible) for disabled people as able bodies.

In preparation for this deadline, the UK’s telecom regulator, Ofcom, has proposed that an SMS service for the 999 emergency services should be made available for  disable mobile phone users.  This follows a successful year long trial of an SMS mobile messaging service for 999 calls.  The scheme works by pre-registering more than 14,000 users (most of whom had a hearing or speech impairment).  It turned out that around one text message a day was sent to the emergency services -- usually for a medical emergency.

//You may not be aware of it, but a new European directive on disabled access to the Emergency Services comes into effect this May. Under the regulation...

I love to hear about new apps that simplify things, such as the new mobile messaging system Tokes (it’s a play on a Spanish word for to touch – toque).  Developed by the Spanish network operator Telefónica, the system is designed to be used for frequently sent short text messages (such as "OK" or "I've arrived"), and will send these short texts  along with an icon.  So for example the word “yes” comes with an icon of thumbs up.  Best of all, when a user gets a 'toke' message the handset will vibrate in a particular way for each type of message so that the receiver doesn’t need to look at the handset.   The system will even let the receiver decide how they want their notification to be played.  And if a receiver hasn’t yet signed up for the service they will be sent an SMS inviting them to join.

Senders also benefit from the new mobile messaging system as these commonly used text messages can be written using fewer keystrokes.  For example, the keystrokes used for " hello " can be reduced from 16 down to just four.  Plus, the cost per toke text message is less than a standard text - you’ve just got to love that.

//I love to hear about new apps that simplify things, such as the new mobile messaging system Tokes (it’s a play on a Spanish word for to touch &n...

One mobile messaging trend that I’ve noticed develop in the past few years is the increasing use of SMS by governments, local authorities and other official organisation to get information out in difficult circumstances.  A great example of this was during the Cyclone Yasi that hit Queensland Australia last month.  The category 5 storm posed a really threat to property and people.  As there wasn’t enough room at all the evacuation centres, many residents stayed at home securing their property as best they could.  To keep these people informed of events the authorities supplied them with updates and information by text message so that they were prepared for what was to come.

More recently the devastating earthquake that hit Christchurch New Zealand on the 22nd of February has also shown just how well SMS can work in the aftermath of a disaster.  Soon after the earthquake, residents were being urged by network providers and the government to communicate by text message so that the voice lines were available for the emergency services.  The chances are that the infrastructure for the landlines may well have been damaged by the earthquake.  Whereas the mobile network seemed to be a bit more resilient, although less able to cope with the same volume of calls as the fixed lines.  Asking people to use text messages to communicate, rather than voice, helped with overloading of the network.  It is only natural after a major event to try to contact friends and family to see if they are OK, but what you don’t want is for these calls to crowd out the emergencies services.   Using SMS on the other hand doesn’t contend with voice on the network, leaving it available to the emergency services.  Plus, it’s more likely to get through when there is a poor signal.

//One mobile messaging trend that I’ve noticed develop in the past few years is the increasing use of SMS by governments, local authorities and ot...

Once again the unrest in the Middle East and North Africa has prompted government authorities to suspend internet and mobile telecommunications services, including text messages.  As was the case with Egypt a few weeks ago, Libya too is trying to control communications between demonstrators calling for political change in the country, by closing down the internet and curtailing the services of mobile network operators in the country.   In Libya of these are controlled by the government, so switching them off was straightforward enough. 

Of course what the Libyan government is trying to do is stop the protestors from communicating through social networking sites or uploading their images of the protestors and the government's violent response.  One can also assume that they are cracking down on SMS services so that the protestors can't orchestrate their demonstrations by  send text messages to each other or send messages out of the country about the unrest, turmoil and killings.

//Once again the unrest in the Middle East and North Africa has prompted government authorities to suspend internet and mobile telecommunications servic...

As we have seen in past days, there has been wide spread demonstrations by anti-government protesters in Egypt who want to bring an end to President Mubarak’s 30 year rule.  While the rest of the world waits and watches the unfolding events in Egypt, it was interesting that one of the Egyptian Government’s first reactions to the protestors was to close down the internet and mobile services, including SMS and Blackberry’s mobile messaging service. 

No doubt this was an attempt to avoid the problems experienced by Iran when people protested about the lack of democracy following the 2010 elections.  Then protesters used social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as text messages to spread the word about the demonstrations.  The result was that Iranian authorities had to scramble to shut down these communication methods quickly.  More recently, the fall of President Ben Ali in Tunisia was a result of mass protests following a rallying cry for action via social networking sites and mobile messaging.  And just like Iran and Tunisia demonstrators protesters in Egypt have been using social networking sites and text messaging services to send out information about planned demonstration.

//As we have seen in past days, there has been wide spread demonstrations by anti-government protesters in Egypt who want to bring an end to Presid...

Well, we survived one more year of the Mobile World Congress (MWC).  This event just seems to be getting bigger (and better!) each year ...overwhelmingly so.  With more than a thousand exhibitors and around 60,000 visitors, the Mobile World Congress brings together everyone who is anyone in the mobile industry – be they handset/hardware manufacturers, network operators or service providers.   Of course RoutoMessaging was there showing off our wares to prospective clients and getting to know others in the industry.  Given that this is the main event of the year, I thought I’d share my insights on MWC and mention a few new developments that I believe will be making an impact on the industry in the future. 

Certainly handset manufacturers have been busy during the past year, and most of them were on hand in Barcelona.  Of all the new mobile phones on display, it was LG's Optimus 3D that really caught my eye.  A number of manufacturers also showcased a variety of tablets, which are predicted to become the next big " must have " gadget.

//Well, we survived one more year of the Mobile World Congress (MWC).  This event just seems to be getting bigger (and better!) each year ...overwh...