Globe launches multimedia messaging service

Globe Telecom, a leading full-service telecommunications provider, has launched the country’s first commercial multimedia messaging service (MMS) that allows cellular phone subscribers to send and receive messages containing a combination of text, images and sound.

MMS leverages on the staggering success of short messaging service (SMS) or text messaging which Globe also introduced locally in 1994. And like text messaging, MMS provides automatic, immediate delivery of personal multimedia messages from phone-to-phone or from phone-to- e-mail with a maximum size of 30 kb.

Aside from the familiar text content of SMS, MMS messages can include photos, animations, speech and audio downloaded to the phone from WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) sites and transferred to the phone via an attached accessory, such as a digital camera, if required.

Globe’s initial set of applications for its MMS service include traffic-cam, which lets subscribers view real-time pictures of actual road traffic; animated-messages, which allows the sending and receiving of Disney pictures and melodies; and photo-messages, which allows transmission of full-color pictures and sound. More innovative MMS services will be added by Globe to the list soon.

"Globe is known for being an innovative leader of the Philippine mobile market. As the first operator to roll out MMS, Globe is assured of building a strong position to continuously lead in the era of personal multimedia messaging," Globe vice president for wireless marketing Ma. Concepcion Alcedo said.

Alcedo noted that MMS is a major step towards the take off of GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and is expected to be a standard mobile phone feature and the default messaging mode in the next few years. Multimedia messaging is dependent on high transmission speeds, something GPRS and the new high speed 3G or third-generation technologies can provide.

MMS supports standard image formats such as GIF and JPEG, video formats such as MPEG 4, and audio formats such as MP3, MIDI and WAV.

"The Philippine market with its relatively low PC penetration and high SMS usage is a perfect market for the MMS service. Phone users will adapt to MMS easily, since it is merely an advanced form of SMS. Thus MMS becomes a solid stepping-stone on the way from 2G to 3G communication and services," Globe vice president for new products development Nicanor Santiago III, for his part, explained.

For MMS, Globe initially uses Ericsson’s T-68i handset which is available nationwide even as it prepares for the shipment of Nokia 7650 and 3510 models by next month. Other phone manufacturers are expected to follow soon.

Alcedo said that the service will be initially offered to plan subscribers, and will be offered free of charge until Aug.31.

Users of a non-MMS capable handset, however, will only be alerted via SMS that they have an MMS message. Such MMS message may be viewed via the web.

"MMS enables our subscribers to capture and share important moments with each other. It is the next wave of messaging after SMS. We are confident that the new mobile phone generation will love these high-impact, memorable messages," Alcedo said.