Tekstisõnumeid

Tekstisõnumeid, commonly known as SMS (Short Message Service), are a fundamental form of digital communication. They allow users to send and receive short text-based messages between mobile phones. The standard SMS message has a character limit, originally 160 characters, though longer messages can be sent by concatenating multiple SMS messages. This technology was developed in the late 1980s and became widely adopted in the 1990s.

The transmission of SMS messages occurs over the cellular network, utilizing control channels rather than voice channels. This means users can send and receive texts even when engaged in a voice call. SMS messages are stored in a message center on the mobile network until they can be delivered to the recipient's phone. While initially a simple text-only service, advancements have led to enhanced messaging services like MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) for sending richer content like images and audio. Despite the rise of instant messaging applications, SMS remains a ubiquitous and reliable communication method, especially for alerts, notifications, and when data connectivity is unavailable.