The Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is regarded as the best-of-the breed of proven messaging technologies, surpassing SMS and electronic mail to offer a truly multimedia experience to mobile users. The first commercial solutions appeared on the market in 2002 and the penetration rate of MMS is now quickly approaching the required level for mass-market adoption. By leveraging accessible technologies, MMS has gained wide acceptance from major market players and provides great business opportunities for the whole telecommunications industry.  

• Introduces usage scenarios and provides a comprehensive description of enabling technologies for MMS, from version 1.0 to version 1.2 (featuring message content classes, video support, online message boxes, digital rights management, etc.)
• Demystifies MMS standards by clearly illustrating technical explanations with numerous practical examples, from the design of multimedia messages to the interfacing of applications with MMS centres
• Sheds light on common implementation pitfalls and known interoperability issues

Based on the author’s own experience as a standardization expert and software architect for one of the major handset vendors, Multimedia Messaging Serviceprovides a stimulating practical reference book for network operators, content designers, device manufacturers and developers of messaging applications, and will also appeal to researchers and students.

 

"I would recommend this book as a good technical introduction to MMS and also as a reference work…" (IEE  Communications Engineer, February 2004)

"...an authoritative book from an engineering perspective...a welcome addition to many bookshelves..." (IEE Review, April 2004)

One of the most recent developments in mobile messaging is known as MMS - Multimedia Messaging Service. Just as the traditional short message service (SMS), multimedia messaging provides automatic and immediate delivery of personal messages. This title concerns areas in MMS.

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is the emerging service that enables the exchange of multimedia messages between mobile users. This is the first resource on what analysts project to be one of the "killer applications" of the next decade.

MMS technology is one of the services initially designed by the 3GPP and WAP Forum.  Recently, two other standardization organizations have been developing extensions for this service. These organizations are the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) and the MMS Interoperability Group (MMSIOP).

  While MMS designers have been working for several years on the topic, MMS is just emerging in the market and is regarded by business analysts as one of the killer applications for the next decade. It will reshape the landscape of mobile communication, making it more personal, more versatile, and more expressive than ever before.

"Multimedia Messaging Service: Provides a practical reference guide to MMS, including standardisation, architecture, transaction flows, developer tools, commercial solutions and the future of MMS, illustrated with numerous examplesIncludes an introductory chapter to MMS clearly explaining its place in the messaging arena and covers MMS generalities such as billing models etcFeatures an accompanying website providing examples that implementers can use to test their solutions and useful links to relevant MMS standards 

Essential reading for all content providers, service providers, network operators and telecommunications manufacturers. The extensive coverage of MMS also makes this ideal for researchers, postgraduate students, marketing and standardisation personnel in the field.

Gwenael Le Bodic is a software architect for Vodafone Global in Germany. His activities for Vodafone include the study and design of MMS architectures for large multi-operator environments. For several years, he used to be a mobile Internet and standardization expert for Alcatel?s mobile phone division in France. His activities for Alcatel included participating and contributing to the development of messaging technologies and services in the scope of 3GPP and OMA standardization processes. He was responsible for the design of the software architecture of the messaging solution for Alcatel?s first two MMS phones. A certified engineer in computer sciences, Gwenael Le Bodic obtained a Ph.D. in mobile communications from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. He is the author of many research publications in the field of mobile communications. He wrote the book Mobile Messaging (Wiley &Sons Ltd, November 2002) covering various messaging services and technologies. Gwenael Le Bodic can be contacted at gwenael@lebodic.net.

Preface.

About the Author.

1. Introduction to MMS.

1.1 MMS Success Enablers.

1.2 Commercial Availability of MMS.

1.3 MMS Compared with Other Messaging Services.

1.4 MMS Added Value and Success Factors.

1.5 Billing Models.

1.6 Usage Scenarios.

2. Standardization of MMS.

2.1 MMS Standards.

2.2 Third Generation Partnership Project.

2.3 Third Generation Partnership Project 2.

2.4 WAP Forum Specification.

2.5 Internet Engineering Task Force.

2.6 World Wide Web Consortium.

2.7 Open Mobile Alliance.

2.8 Standardization Roadmap for MMS.

3. Service Architecture.

3.1 MMS Architecture.

3.2 MMS Interfaces.

3.3 MMS Client.

3.4 MMS Centre.

3.5 Wireless Application Protocol.

3.6 OMA Digital Rights Management. 

4. Service Features.

4.1 Message Sending.

4.2 Message Retrieval.

4.3 Message Reports.

4.4 Message Forward.

4.5 Reply Charging.

4.6 Addressing Modes.

4.7 Settings of MMS Mobile Devices.

4.8 Storage of MMS Settings and Notification in the (U)SIM.

4.9 Multimedia Message Boxes.

4.10 Value-added Services.

4.11 Capability Negotiation.

4.12 Streaming.

4.13 Charging and Billing.

4.14 Security Considerations.

5. The Multimedia Message.

5.1 Multipart Structure.

5.2 Message Content Domains and Classes.

5.3 Media Types, Formats and Codecs.

5.4 Scen Description.

5.5 Examples of a Multimedia Message.

5.6 Forward-lock of Media Objects.

5.7 Message Size Measurement.

6. Transactions Flows.

6.1 Introduction to the mMS Transaction Model.

6.2 MMI Interface, MMS Client - MMSC.

6.3 MM2 Interface, Internal MMSC Interface.

6.4 MM3 Interface, MMSC-External Servers.

6.5 MM4 Interface, MMSC-MMSC.

6.6 MM5 Interface, MMSC-HLR.

6.7 MM6  Interface, MMSC-User Database.

6.8 MM7 Interface, MMSC-VAS Applications.

7. Standard Compliance and Interoperability.

7.1 Standard Conformance and Interoperability Testing.

7.2 Implementations of Different Versions of the MMS Protocol. 

8. Commercial Solutions and Developer Tools.

8.1 MMS Handsets Directory.

8.2 MMSC Directory.

8.3 Developer Tools.

9. The Future of MMS.

9.1 MMS Development in 3GPP.

9.2 MMS Development in OMA.

9.3 MMS Development in 3GPP2.

9.4 A Bright Future for MMS?

Appendices.

A. Content types of media objects.

B. MM1 interface - Response status codes (X-Mms-Response-Status) .

C. MM1 interface - Retrieve status codes (X-Mms-Retrieve-Status) .

D. MM1 interface - MMBox store status codes (X-Mms-Store-Status) .

E. MM4 interface - Request status codes (X-Mms-Request-Status-Code) .

F. MM7 interface – Status Code and StatusText.

References.

Acronyms and Abbreviations.

Index.