Short Message Service A text message service that enables short messages of generally no more than 140-160 characters in length to be sent and transmitted from a cellphone. SMS was introduced in the GSM system and later supported by all other digital-based mobile communications systems. Unlike paging, but similar to e-mail, short messages are stored and forwarded at SMS centers, which means you can retrieve your messages later if you are not immediately available to receive them. SMS messages travel to the cellphone over the system's control channel, which is separate and apart from the voice channel. TechWeb originally part of the GSM system, it refers to any text messaging service available on digital mobile phones.

Short Message Service. A method of delivering a short (120-200 character) message to your digital cellular phone. Usually people can either visit a SMS web page and type a short message which is sent to your phone or email your phone Short Message Service will display a pager-like 160 character message in the LCD panel on the phone. Your phone must support SMS.

Abbreviated as SMS, the transmission of short text messages to and from a mobile phone, fax machine and/or IP address. Messages must be no longer than 160 alpha-numeric characters and contain no images or graphics. Once a message is sent, it is received by a Short Message Service Center (SMSC), which must then get it to the appropriate mobile device. To do this, the SMSC sends a SMS Request to the home location register (HLR) to find the roaming customer. Once the HLR receives the request, it will respond to the SMSC with the subscriber's status: 1) inactive or active 2) where subscriber is roaming. If the response is "inactive", then the SMSC will hold onto the message for a period of time. When the subscriber accesses his device, the HLR sends a SMS Notification to the SMSC, and the SMSC will attempt delivery.