INFOSCAPE SMSLink gives you the value-added services essential for creating a sustainable competitive advantage 

The Concept

At the heart of the system is INFOSCAPE SMSLink Server. It acts as a gateway between the SMSC residing on the GSM Network and the various SMSLink services. SMSLink server has an MSISDN assigned to it. All messages directed to that MSISDN will be forwarded by the SMSC to SMSLink server. SMSLink server will in turn route the request to the appropriate SMSLink Service. The response from SMSLink service will later be sent back to SMSLink server for delivery to the subscriber’s mobile.

Each SMSLink service corresponds to a unique information service, for example, Stock Exchange notification service, Real-Time Foreign Exchange service, Reminder service, etc. Services can be easily added and customized using our SMSL Software Development Kit.

SMSLink provides a centralized management system accessible via a web browser. Administrators can easily add, update, and delete subscribers. Various SMSLink server settings can be modified via the same console.

INFOSCAPE SMSLink is the enabling platform for cellular operators to offer value-added data applications to their subscribers. Push and pull information services can easily be developed and deployed using the SMSLink Service Plugin and Software Development Kit (SDK). The complexities of interfacing with the SMSC are shielded from the application developers. Examples of value-added services are:

Pull information services – Subscribers can get up-to-date information such as foreign exchange rates, stock and news headlines simply by submitting a short message to SMSLink. The server will forward the request to the appropriate SMSLink service and return the response to the subscriber.

Internet access – SMSLink services can access the Internet leveraging upon the wealth of information already available on the Internet.

Personalized information service – SMSLink enables mobile users to subscribe to information services of his interest. For example a mobile user can specify certain keywords that must appear in the news headlines to be pushed to him. He can also indicate the time of the day during which he wants to receive such information. In short, the control is on the hands of the subscribers.

Virtual channels – What about forming virtual channels that carry special interest discussions or classified ads?

INFOSCAPE SMSLink offers the following features:

Web based Management – Administrators can easily manage the system and subscribers through a Web based user interface. Service creation is also done via the same user interface.

Billing – SMSLink generates billing information that can be tailored to the format readable by the operator’s billing system. Billing can be based on successful transactions rather than short messages. 

Third-Party SMSLink Services – SMSL Service Plugin and Software Development Kit (SDK) are available for third-party developers to plug their custom SMSLink services. These tools shield the complexities of interfacing with the SMSC away from the developers. Message retransmission, for example, is intelligently performed by the SMSLink server. They enable rapid new service deployment on the fly without having to shut down and restart the system.
 

Custom applications can easily be added to the SMSLink platform using the SMSL Application Framework and Software Development Kit
 

Will support future technologies such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)

INFOSCAPE SMSLink is a modular and scalable solution. SMSLink server is an asynchronous, multithreaded implementation. Each SMSLink service is itself a separate process that can be hosted on a different hardware. A popular service can be replicated on additional hardwares.

The solution will be available on the Windows NT platform with Oracle7 Server and Netscape Enterprise Server.

Future Development 

INFOSKAPE is committed to continuously enhancing INFOSCAPE SMSLink to support future technologies such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and Narrowband Socket (NBS) as they become widely adopted by mobile device manufacturers.