MMS, More Than Just Picture Messaging
There are many skeptics that believe that MMS will be a flop. As with anything in the wireless industry if it’s overhyped and overpriced, then yes MMS will flop. But I also think that much of the skepticism comes from not really understanding what is possible via MMS. First off, MMS is more than just being able to send pictures, however I think that this will prove to be quite popular in many markets. The best way to understand MMS messages is to think of them as packages of content as opposed to an SMS message which is a quick text only note. Person-to-person MMS messages will probably be limited to long text messages or pictures. But I’ve heard people express interest in recording voice messages offline (outside of a voicemail box) and then sending them off. This might be useful for commuters who pop in and out of coverage. MMS also allows richer business to consumer messaging (opt-in of course). Premium services like sports and business alert can be more informative and entertaining with charts, graphs, photos, etc. As devices and networks improve, MMS messages can scale and grow from postage stamp to larger formats. I think we’ll actually see a growth in MMS push services, which go beyond just alerts and include deep content.
