GMS - Glossary

2

2-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) provides an extra layer of protection for providers and users of services, apps, or programs. 2FA verifies a subscriber’s identity...

2-Way SMS

Two-way SMS combines A2P and P2A messaging to create a dialogue-based communication channel between a brand and a mobile subscriber. The increase in interactivity...

3

3G, 4G, & 5G

Each new iteration of mobile telecommunications technology that offers substantial improvements over the last is referred to in terms of its “generation,” so...

A

A2P SMS Messaging (Application-to-Person Messaging)

A2P (Application-to-Person) SMS Messaging. Refers to the process of sending mobile messages from an application to a mobile user. A2P SMS messaging is also called...

Alphanumeric Sender ID

A sender ID created from a combination of letters and numbers, as opposed to simply the number from which a message was sent. These (customizable) alphanumeric sender...

API

An application programming interface is a software tool, typically used to ease the creation of other software or to relay information or instructions between different...

App notification

A kind of push notification delivered via an application on the end user's phone. Apps do not need to be open in order to display the message and – depending on...

ASP

An application service provider: a company that builds or provides the application through which enterprises interact with subscribers over mobile channels.

B

B2C

Business-to-consumer refers to communications – whether marketing or transactional – between a company and its customers or potential customers.

Batch Import

Uploading a list of mobile numbers and associated information required for bulk messaging en masse. Usually accomplished by uploading an excel or CSV file to an...

Big Data

Big data is a term used to refer to the massive amounts of information available to an organization. More devices and more ways of interacting with those devices...

Binary SMS

A binary SMS message is typically used to send data rather than simply plain text. This can be used to send small files and rich content, as well as updating system...

Blacklist

A blacklist is a list of connections that have been denied access – “blacklisted” – on a network. For example: those which carry spam, can be traced to criminals...

Bulk SMS

High-volume messaging, delivering batches of SMS messages from one sender to multiple recipients at once. Bulk SMS messaging is an economical way of marketing to...

C

Caller ID

A service available in both analog and digital telephone networks that identifies a caller to the recipient. The network transmits the caller’s phone number, which...

Carrier Billing

A way of making mobile payments that uses the subscriber’s mobile account directly, on supported networks. This could mean adding the amount to their bill, or...

Characters

Representational symbols used in messages, including numbers, letters, and punctuation marks. SMS messages can contain 170 characters in Latin script, or 70 in Cyrillic...

Chatbot

A chatbot is a program that can communicate with a user in a way that mimics human conversation (usually via text). Depending on the use case, a chatbot can be as...

Concatenated Messages

Concatenating a message is a way of getting around the 160 (70 Cyrillic or Unicode) character limit. Applications, and most mobile devices, can write SMS messages...

D

Delivery Reporting & DLRs

Delivery reporting confirms that an SMS message has been delivered. A Delivery Report (DLR, sometimes called a Delivery Receipt) is requested by an A2P message so...

G

Geo-redundancy

By keeping a computer system running in multiple separate locations ensures redundancy: in case one fails the service will not be interrupted, and any data will...

Global Title

A global title (GT) is an address used for routing messages within Signaling System Number 7 (SS7). It can be compared to an IP address, in that the global title...

Grey Routes

A grey route is a route by which traffic enters a telecommunications network that is not sanctioned by the mobile network operator (MNO). Typically, this will mean...

GSM

The Global System for Mobile Communications is the telecommunications standard developed in Europe for second-generation (2G) mobile networks. The global standard...

H

Home Location Register (HLR)

A database of mobile network subscribers, an HLR is held by the relevant operator and holds information about the number, services, and other information about each...

I

IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identifier)

The International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) is a number of 14-15 digits which identifies a mobile subscriber by their SIM card. It is made up of several...

ISO 9001

ISO 9001 is a standard set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It lays out requirements for a quality management system, encompassing customer...

ISO/IEC 20000-1

A standard created and administered by a partnership of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission...

K

Keyword

A word used on a short code SMS service which routes messages to a specific client or service using that short code. Keywords are used on inbound (person-to-application,...

L

Local Timestamp

In A2P messaging, the practice of displaying the timestamp in the recipient’s local time (as set by their network, or device clock in the case of OTT app messaging)....

M

MaaP

Standing for Messaging-as-a-Platform, a MaaP handles A2P and P2A messaging for rich communication services, also called RBM (RCS Business Messaging). The MaaP checks...

Machine Learning

A field of artificial intelligence and computer science, which aims at automating complex tasks. It involves devising methods for a machine to “learn” from data...

MNO (Mobile Network Operator)

A mobile network operator or MNO, owns and operates the infrastructure and other elements necessary for mobile communications. Also called carriers or wireless service...

MO (Mobile originated)

Mobile originated (MO) refers to a message originating from a mobile device and delivered to another mobile device or an application. In the latter case, this is...

Mobile Data Penetration

This is the number of internet-capable mobile devices in a particular market. Usually this is represented as the percentage of people using smartphones in that ...

Mobile Number Portability (MNP)

Mobile number portability is the process by which users can switch to a new mobile network while retaining their current number. The number can be reassigned to...

Mobile Phone Penetration

Actually referring to the number of SIM cards in a market, mobile phone penetration does not reflect the number of phones in that market. Often represented as a...

MSISDN

The number which identifies a subscription on a network. In other words, the phone number which can be dialed to connect a voice call, or to which SMS messages are...

MT

MT stands for “mobile terminated,” meaning a message that is delivered to (terminated on) a mobile device. In enterprise messaging, when a message is sent from...

MVNO

A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) acts very much like an ordinary MNO, in that they provide mobile telecommunications services to subscribers. However, they...

N

NLP (Natural Language Processing)

A field in computer science and artificial intelligence research, natural language processing involves creating computer programs that can process and (in a sense)...

Number/Numeric Sender ID

A mobile number (in other words, not a short code) that conforms to the standard numbering format for the relevant country. Suitable for most uses, including 2-way...

O

Opt-in

A crucial aspect of marketing messaging is that customers should be asked to opt-in before receiving marketing or advertising messages over email, SMS, or OTT chat...

Opt-out

The process by which a customer can request a company cease sending them marketing or advertising messages. In many jurisdictions there is a legal requirement to...

OTP (One-Time PIN) Code

OTP (One-Time PIN) code is a one-time password or one-time PIN. An OTP is a feature of Two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA) security. When a user attempts...

OTT

OTT stands for “over the top,” referring to a service delivered by a 3rd party. In telecommunications this typically refers to chat or messaging apps commonly...

P

P2A Messaging

Person-to-application (P2A) messaging consists of messages sent from an organization’s system or application to a mobile subscriber’s device.

P2P messaging

Person-to-person (P2P) messaging describes sending messages from one mobile subscriber to another. Usually this just refers to SMS messaging, as OTT messaging between...

PSTN

The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the totality of the world's circuit-switched telephone networks, maintained and operated by network operators, including...

Push Notifications

A push notification is a message that is "pushed" from backend server or application to a user interface, including (but not limited to) mobile applications and...

R

RCS Business Messaging (RBM)

RCS Business Messaging (RBM) is the verified, branded A2P messaging channel using the latest operator-led messaging technology. RBM offers rich features, highly...

Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP)

The Real-time Transport Protocol is a network protocol for delivering audio and video over IP networks. It is used in communication and entertainment systems involving...

Rich Communication Services (RCS)

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the next iteration of messaging technology, combining the device-native qualities of SMS (and MMS) with richer content like...

Roaming

Roaming refers to the use of mobile phone services outside the usual coverage of a subscriber’s mobile network. In other words, roaming allows a user to make and...

S

Session

“Session” in telecommunications refers to a set of related interactions grouped according to a specified length of time or number of messages exchanged. This...

Short Code

A short number of between 3-6 digits (depending on the country) which can be leased through short code service providers like GMS. Short codes are more memorable...

SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)

A SIM is an integrated circuit which stores an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number and other data related to a subscriber. Typically stored on...

SIM Swap Fraud

Because of the importance of mobile phone numbers for verifying a person’s identity (for example, using 2-factor authentication), and the widespread use of mobile...

SIP

A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) initiates and controls real-time sessions over IP channels for voice (VoIP), video, and messaging applications.

SMPP

Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) refers to an open, industry standard protocol used by the telecommunication industry for exchanging SMS messages between Short...

SMS Aggregator

An aggregator is a telecoms company that has agreements with multiple MNOs to send and receive messages between their system and the MNO’s SMSC.

SMS Delivery

The termination of an SMS message’s route on a subscriber’s mobile device. The distribution of one or more messages to a corresponding number of devices.

SMS Gateway

An SMS gateway is a transfer point handling SMS messages on their route from a source to their destination. It is a node within a network that interfaces with other...

SMS Hubbing

In order for subscribers to be able to send and receive SMS text messages globally, the operators to which they are subscribed must connect their networks. This...

SMS messaging

Short message service (SMS) is the primary text messaging format used today. A single SMS can contain 160 Latin characters, or 70 characters from other systems ...

SMS Termination

Delivery of an SMS message to a handset. “Termination” refers to the termination of message transit.

SMSC

A Short Message Service Center (SMSC) is the part of a mobile network that handles SMS messages. Its role is to store, forward, and deliver these messages and to...

SS7

Signaling System No.7 (SS7) is a signaling protocol for telephony systems which is used to set up and clear telephone calls over most of the world’s PSTN, as well...

T

TTL

TTL stands for “time-to-live," and in general computing designates the amount of time data should be allowed to remain in a computer or network.

Two-way messaging

Two-way text messaging combines A2P and P2A messaging to create an interactive marketing and customer support medium. Being able to create a dialogue brings new...

U

Unicode

Unicode is a global industry standard that governs the consistent encoding, representation, and handling of characters appearing in most of the world's writing systems....

User Data Header

The User Data Header (UDH) specifies how a message should be formatted and processed. It consists of binary data at the start of a message (so does not contain any...

V

VoIP

Voice over IP (VoIP) involves transmitting voice communications using the internet (hence IP – internet protocol). Essentially, this means using data connections...

W

Whitelist

The opposite of a blacklist, a whitelist designates sources that are deemed to be trusted and therefore permitted access to a network with fewer checks and controls....