Appendix A
VAS Applications
A.1 Multimedia Messaging Service
Multimedia Messaging Service accomplishes the transfer of images, audio, video, data and text from mobile to mobile, mobile to Internet and Internet to mobile. If the receiver handset is not ‘MMS-capable’ then it will receive an SMS stating that the MMS can be viewed at a website whose URL and login/password are mentioned in the SMS. This function is accomplished with the help of an Application Gateway. The size of an MMS message is a few kilobytes depending on the content. Figure A.1 shows the logical connectivity of an MMS Solution in a Packet Core Network.
Figure A.1 MMS call flow.
When a MMS is sent from one PLMN to another, the MMSC of both networks are involved. Inter-MMSC connection may be defined using the SMTP protocol although this involves message conversion before delivery. Applications use the MM7 interface to send and receive the MMS, delivery and read-reply reports. Applications can connect to the MMSC using a direct leased line, VPN or the Internet using some secure transport software.
The following inputs are required for proper dimensioning of an MMS capable network:
- Assessment of existing packet core network. A connectivity diagram of the existing network, information about the h/w and s/w details, capacities, available interface types for SGSN, GGSN, DNS, firewall, ...
