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Short Message Service (SMS) has become the buzzword among cell phone users in the city.
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Saji, a medical representative, has to send an urgent message to his company headquarters. He tries his manager's cell number, "Out of range," replies the sweet voice. Saji looks at the road, in vain, for an Internet café. He comes back to his cell phone and presses a few buttons. The word MAIL appears on the screen. He then types `the receiver's mail ID {lt}message{gt}send it to 333'. The job is done, and the cost is just Re. 1. Short Message Service (SMS) is now the buzzword among cell phone users in the city.
"SMS mailing is indeed a boon. Each message, send or received, costs me only 50 paise," says Jalgith, a medical transcriptionist. SMS mailing has become a craze among today's urban youth. "It is my prime mode of communication," says Baiju, an engineering student. "Funny messages are often sent along with matching pictures."
Besides sending short messages from mobile to mobile, messaging from mobile to Internet and vice versa is also possible through the SMS. All major companies charge a relatively low price (Re. 1 per message). The price, however, varies with the mode of payment.
SMS provides instant news and information of every kind with hardly any delay.
"I felt awful to have missed the World cup final due to power cut. But my cell phone kept me abreast with timely news flashes," reveals Bhajeesh.
The companies announce special cut-rate schemes during mega events such as the World cup. While BPL mobile charged Rs 2 a day for giving World Cup football news tips, Escotel Mobile Communications charged Rs. 25 to cover the entire event. The SMS storage section of the cell phone keeps the last ten messages received and sent (the number varies with different companies) in the inbox and outbox respectively. The entertainment services offered are also alluring. Cell phone freaks can participate in games and quiz competitions. Voting for popular TV programmes is yet another interesting feature.
One can book one's air ticket, arrange for gas connection and get other essential information just by pressing a few buttons. One can also get news and weather updates.
Reveals Aneesh Joshy, an IT whizz-kid, "I am getting updates on the latest technology by just pressing the key word `NEWSTEC'. What's more, your horoscope details too can be "mailed in" using the SMS. The one and only big constraint is that the message has to be short.
As of now, each SMS message must not exceed 160 characters. Never mind the limitations, this novel style of communication is spreading fast.
After Brazil's triumph over Germany in the World Cup final, the cell phone of a die-hard Oliver Kahn fan beeped.
The message was:
Pirinju poukum Germanikki katha Marakkuvane kazhiyoo... Marakkuvane kazhiyoo.
The lament was accompanied by the picture of a defeated clown trudging away.
AMIYA MEETHAL
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