The world before Interop2000 - January 2001The world before SMS InteroperabilityIt was only a decade ago that people living in many regions of the world including the United States, Canada and Latin America couldn?t exchange SMS messages with anyone outside their own operator networks. Operator-to-operator SMS messaging was only available in GSM-only regions in Europe and Asia.
2001
The Big Idea2001The big ideaSeveral companies created the notion of a messaging hub.
Oh Canada! Canadian interop is bornMay 2001Oh Canada! Canadian interoperability is bornA consortium of Canadian mobile operators, led by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, issued an RFP for a messaging hub to provide SMS interoperability. The four mobile operators were Bell Mobility, Telus, Microcell (now part of Rogers Wireless) and Rogers AT&T. Out of nearly 20 prospects that were sent the RFP, InphoMatch and CMG were selected as finalists.
Interop is born in the U.S.November 14, 2001Interop is born in the U.S.The first inter-operator SMS messages were delivered in the U.S. InphoMatch (now Sybase 365) launched the first inter-operator SMS messaging hub in the U.S. with AT&T Wireless. That day, 823 inter-operator messages were delivered. Following the public launch on November 21, the daily message count was 71,037 messages.
2002
Reaching one million text messages!March 6, 2002Reaching one million text messages!Mobile operators began getting on board and offering inter-operator SMS messaging services. InphoMatch announced it processed more than 1,000,000 messages per day.
First peering agreement in the U.S.May 14, 2002Working together: First peering agreement in the U.S.InphoMatch and Illuminet signed the first peering agreement in the U.S. Peering is a traffic arrangement between service providers where they share each other?s networks or hubs to process messages – a key component to SMS interoperability. Later this year, CMG and WSC completed and launched peering agreements and were the first to link Canada, the U.S and Latin America.
Happy New Year! 126 million messagesDecember 2002Happy New Year! 126 million messages processedMonthly SMS messaging traffic from InphoMatch grew to more than 52 million messages, and more than 126 million messages were processed that year.
2003
Global connectivity in U.S. startsFebruary 2003Global connectivity in U.S. startsInphoMatch, Verisign and WSC continued to add operators. InphoMatch added operators in Asia and more in Europe as well as the U.S. and Mexico. InphoMatch launched inter-operator SMS messaging among Mexican operators. Later, in 2004, Mexican operators connected bi-laterally among themselves.
3.152 billion messagesDecember 2003Happy New Year! 3.152 billion messagesInphoMatch processed more than 3.152 billion messages for the year. InphoMatch exceeded one billion messages processed for a single quarter.
2004
Popularity and mergerAugust 10, 2004Popularity and mergerSMS messaging was established as a popular communication channel ? especially among the younger demographic. InphoMatch and Mobileway announced a merger, later branded Mobile 365. Later this year, Mobile 365 processed more than 7.4 billion SMS messages for the year, more than doubling the previous year?s total.
2005
19.2 billion messages December 200519.2 billion messages processedBy the end of 2005, Mobile 365 processed over 19.2 billion SMS messages for the year.
2006
Meet Sybase 365November 8, 2006Meet Sybase 365Sybase, Inc. acquired Mobile 365 and Sybase 365 (a wholly owned subsidiary of Sybase, Inc.) was born. Sybase 365 processed over 39.3 billion SMS messages for the year.
2007
SMS traffic doubles2007SMS traffic doublesSMS messaging traffic doubled since 2006. Sybase 365 processed over 89.2 billion messages for the year.
2008
Historic U.S. presidential electionNovember 10, 2008Historic U.S. presidential electionMore than 209,955 billion SMS messages processed. The U.S. presidential election was historic in voter turnout, television coverage ratings and also in SMS message traffic. Sybase 365 reported a surge in SMS nationwide during the presidential election.
2009
384 billion messages2009384,184 billion messages processedSybase 365 processed over 384,184 billion messages for the year.
2010
One trillion messagesJune 2010One trillion messages processedSybase 365 reached ONE TRILLION SMS messages. A new milestone in SMS messages processed was reached.
Holiday GreetingsDecember 25, 2010Holiday GreetingsWell wishers on Christmas 2010 made it the #1 day for SMS messaging for the year, with an estimated 10.5 billion messages sent that day.
2011
Cheers! #1 day for SMS trafficJanuary 1, 2011Cheers! #1 day for SMS trafficNew Year?s Day topped SMS messaging charts globally as the world celebrated the beginning of 2011.
Average 109.5 messages per daySeptember 2011Average of 109.5 messages per dayMobile phone owners between the ages of 18 and 24 exchange an average of 109.5 messages on a normal day (source: Pew Research Center).
2012
New year, new record!January 1, 2012New Year?s Day welcomes a new recordNew Year?s well wishers contributed to a new SMS messaging traffic record. Sybase 365 processed over 2 billion messages on this day for the first time. Almost 1 billion messages were sent between midnight and 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time, the top hour was up 11.7% from 2011.
Text the vote!November 6, 2012Text the vote!The top U.S. presidential election candidates will all use mobile engagement with their base and the general electorate as a major means of communicating to win votes.
Growth and innovationDecember 31, 2012Growth and innovationAs operators introduce new services and features, and new entrants such as NUVOs help increase overall messaging volume, the SMS market will continue to grow. Reaching more than five billion people, SMS messaging is the most successful non-verbal communication medium in the history of mankind.
It's as common as making a phone call (even more so, for some people). Which makes it hard to believe that sending an SMS message to someone outside your own mobile network ? also known as inter-operator messaging - has only been available in the U.S. for the last 10 years. Sybase 365 played an integral role in developing and launching SMS interoperability, the technology that enables inter-operator messaging and even delivered the very first inter-operator SMS messages in the U.S.
The 823 SMS messages that were delivered on that first day in November 2001 are a mere footnote to the 1.8 billion SMS messages processed on an average day now. This Infographic depicts the 10 year journey that transformed SMS messaging from a visionary concept to the most successful non-verbal communication medium in the history of humankind.
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