Text messages will drive 3G and GPRS

Simple text messaging technology is being hailed as a possible driver for 3G and GPRS technologies.

The Mobile Data Association (MDA) said that a huge 560 million chargeable transmissions were sent using the short message service (SMS) technology in August. The MDA predicts that the simplicity of SMS will spur users to explore other mobile technologies.

Mike Short, MDA chairman, said that the continued popularity of text messaging bodes well for the introduction of Wap and GPRS mobile internet services.

Mark Smith, communications director at the GSM Association, said that attitudes to SMS are changing. "Companies ask us about the business applications of text messaging. Some courier firms are using the system to track individual parcels," he said.

DHL customers can key in their despatch code number and send it to the company's SMS tracking phone number. The latest status information is then sent back to the phone in as little as 10 seconds.

Smith predicted that the number of text messages sent would hit 15 billion worldwide by Christmas.

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