Text message (SMS) is by far the most prevalent technology used in mobile marketing today because it’s pervasive and supported across nearly every handset in the US. SMS is also the most common delivery medium to more content – for example a consumer may send a text message to receive a ringtone, wallpaper, or link to a website sent to their phone. Upon receiving the response message, the consumer would click on the embedded link within the message triggering the content download or opening the handset’s mobile web browser pointing to the destination website.
Programs defined as ‘standard rate’ or that advertise ‘standard text message charges apply’ indicate consumers will be charged standard fees associated with sending or receiving messages according to their mobile phone plan. Most people who elect to participate in a mobile program typically have a bundle of text messages associated with their plan – if they don’t they’ll incur the text message rate according to their carrier. Alternatively, programs defined as premium message rate incur an additional charge above standard messaging rates in exchange for content. With premium programs, our product would deliver the content and initiate a billing trigger to the aggregator, which would then be handed off to the carrier and ultimately billed to the end customer.
MMS is an additional delivery channel which is capable of delivering binary / dynamic content like pictures, video, etc). As a delivery channel, MMS is exclusive to cost to consumer (meaning it can be used to deliver either standard rate or premium rated content). Not all handsets support the transmission of MMS messages or support the content that would be delivered (videos, etc.).
