CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background of Study

Short Message Service (SMS) is a text messaging service component of phone, Web, or mobile communication systems. It uses standardized communications protocols to allow fixed line or mobile phone devices to exchange short text messages. SMS was the most widely used data application, with an estimated 3.5 billion active users, or about 80% of all mobile phone subscribers at the end of 2010. The term "SMS" is used for both the user activity and all types of short text messaging in many parts of the world. SMS is also employed in direct marketing, known as SMS marketing.

SMS as used on modern handsets originated from radio telegraphy in radio memo pagers using standardized phone protocols. These were defined in 1985 as part of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) series of standards as a means of sending messages of up to 160 characters to and from GSM mobile handsets. Though most SMS messages are mobile-to-mobile text messages, support for the service has expanded to include other mobile technologies, such as well as satellite and landline networks.

SMS portal is a web system that provides the functions and features to identify the users or members and provide them with easy, intuitive, and personalized information and services that are of primary relevance and interests to them. Hence, the main purpose of setting up a SMS portal is to bring the vast information and service resources available from the source or the portal administrator to many concerned members in an effective manner.

In the Christ embassy there is need to have a portal that will aid the sharing of different information timely.