• Click HERE to see more details on these guidelines
• Click HERE to download "How To Create EMS Services"

EMS (Enhanced Messaging Service) adds powerful new functionality to the popular text-based SMS (Short Messaging Service). Using EMS, mobile phone users can add life to  their Text  Messages  in the form of images, melodies, and animations. 

Alcatel, Ericsson, Motorola and Siemens have committed to supporting EMS and bringing exciting images and sound to text messaging via EMS. 

Nokia is still using its own SmartMessaging Protocol.

All phone users, execpt those using Nokia phones,  will  now be able to enjoy collecting and swapping images, ring  signals and  other melodies between the handsets of the world's leading phone makers.

Because the EMS standard is open, operators and content suppliers  alike will  be  able to introduce appealing new value-added services  such  as screen  savers,  images and ring melodies that can be easily  downloaded from the Internet. By the end of January 2001, SMS was used to send more than 20 billion text messages per month worldwide. EMS messages are sent over  the  same  infrastructure as regular SMS  messages,  thus  keeping investments  to a minimum and allowing for quick and easy deployment  of the service. EMS provides an important evolutionary step between SMS and full Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).

The  EMS  standard  was  defined  by 3GPP  (3rd  Generation  Partnership Project), the same standardization body from which the worldwide success of  GSM  and  the  standardization  of SMS  (Short  Messaging  Services) originated. 

It is a completely open standard that may be  supported  by any manufacturer in the interests of interoperability between consumers.

EMS enabled telephones will begin shipping from the end of Q2 this year, however,  because  EMS is obviously tied to new product  launches,  this timescale will vary across manufacturers.

Click HERE to see more details on EMS guidelines