shortmessage

Shortmessage is the term used to describe a text-based message with a constrained length, typically transmitted over mobile networks as part of the Short Message Service (SMS). In computing and programming contexts, shortmessage can also refer to any payload deliberately limited in size for efficiency or protocol design. The concept is central to early mobile telephony and to modern messaging services that aim to minimize bandwidth and latency.

Origin and standardization: The concept arose with the GSM mobile network and the development of the Short Message Service in the late 1980s and 1990s. SMS was standardized by the GSM association and later by 3GPP as part of the protocols for mobile messaging, enabling two-way text transmission between devices. Stored on network servers and delivered to the recipient's handset when available, with delivery reports and opt-in/opt-out controls.

Technical characteristics: The original SMS payload limit is 160 characters for the GSM 7-bit alphabet; Unicode messages have smaller per-segment capacity (70 characters for a single message, 67 per segment when concatenated). Long messages are sent as concatenated segments with user-perceived length unlimited up to network limits, though practical limits apply due to segmentation and carrier constraints. Messages can include numbers, letters, and common symbols; services may add metadata or encoding schemes to support languages and scripts.

Usage and impact: Short messages are widely used for person-to-person texting, service authentication codes, and machine-to-person or app notifications. While SMS remains ubiquitous due to broad compatibility, newer messaging platforms and IP-based chat apps have reduced its dominance, particularly for rich media or end-to-end security features.