2013

NowSMS / NowMMS Update 2013.11.15

An updated release of NowSMS is now available for download. Version 2013.11.15 is a critical update for customers using MMSC functionality. This update fixes two different denial of service problems and improves recovery handling of unexpected problems. One problem was new to the 2013.09.26 release and can be triggered by a corrupt message received via an MM4 connection. The other problem affects...

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NowSMS/NowMMS Update (Version 2013.09.26)

An updated release of NowSMS & NowMMS is now available for general release. Existing customers who have a current software update license can use the trial download to update their existing installation.  Please see the Serial # page of the NowSMS configuration program to determine software update eligibility. There are numerous enhancements in this release, some of which have been made...

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SMPP TLV Optional Parameters

The SMPP protocol defines support for optional parameters, known as TLV parameters. Some TLV parameters are defined in the core specification, and NowSMS may use them depending on configuration settings. These TLV parameters include message_payload, source_port, dest_port, sar_msg_ref_num, sar_total_segments, sar_segment_seqnum, payload_type, message_state and receipted_message_id. (There are...

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Burst Mode Licensing Support

Burst mode is a licensing enhancement to help customers better handle bursts of SMS and/or MMS messaging activity. Instead of just tracking message throughput per minute or second, NowSMS also keeps track of activity over the past two hours, and allows unused throughput capacity during that period to be applied as a performance burst. Performance burst activity will provide up to double the...

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Emoticons and Emoji in SMS Text Messsages

Emoticons have long been part of text messaging (and before that e-mail), ranging from simple smileys such as : ) and : – ) to flowers @>–>—.  Traditionally, emoticons have been pictorial representation of a feeling or expression, with that picture being constructed by combining punctuation characters and other standard text characters.  Some messaging clients...

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Mobile Operator MMSC APN & Settings (Updated)

The Now SMS & MMS Gateway can use a GSM/GPRS or 3G/UMTS/WCDMA modem to send and receive MMS messages via an operator MMSC. In this type of configuration, there is no special setup requirement required by the mobile operator. The Now SMS & MMS Gateway sends and receives MMS messages using the same protocol that is used by the MMS client in a mobile phone, so it simply requires that the SIM...

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WAP Push Work-Around for AT&T USA

Some of our customers have been frustrated by an AT&T policy that blocks the sending of mobile originated WAP Push messages.  This prevents WAP Push messages from being sent over a GSM modem.  This blocking affects all messages that are sent via WAP Push, not just service indication messages, but also blocking OMA OTA settings and MMS notifications. A NowSMS customer discovered a potential...

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SMS Hubbing Considerations

NowSMS is frequently used to provide SMS message routing connectivity between multiple SMSCs using the SMPP protocol. The purpose of this document is to clarify issues that are frequently encountered in SMS hubbing configurations. In SMS hubbing configurations, NowSMS is connected to one or more service providers using the SMPP protocol. Service providers route selected SMS messages to NowSMS...

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NowSMS MMSC Diameter MM9 Implementation

Click here for a PDF version of this document. This document outlines how MMS charging is implemented using Diameter and MM9 in the NowSMS MMSC. It also describes a test program that is used to validate proper Diameter configuration parameters and charging behaviour. MM9 Diameter charging is enabled in NowSMS MMSC versions 2013.04.01 and later. The MMSC implements Diameter Credit Control for...

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Issue Receiving MMS over GSM Modem on Orange UK

We’d like to draw some attention to an issue that was reported (and quickly diagnosed) on our discussion forum last month. A customer reported that they were no longer able to process received MMS messages using a GSM modem on the Orange  network in the UK. There are a variety of potential causes, such as a SIM not being enabled for MMS support, or incorrectly provisioned Operator MMS...

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