What’s the difference between SMS, EMS, and MMS?

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Many clients from LabsMobile ask us what the difference between SMS, EMS, and MMS is. Here, we will explain this to you and also inform you about RCS, which is appearing in many countries.

So, the main difference is in the type of content that each method allows users to send. SMS (Short Message Service) was born many years ago and it is simply just a text message. Still, with LabsMobile, you can attach SMS Landings, images or multimedia content with a link.

EMS (Enhances Message Service) is a type of text message that allows users to send emojis. It is a Unicode message.

MMS (Multimedia Message Service) is a type of multimedia message. It allows people to send all kinds of multimedia content. Users can send texts, emojis, animated icons, images, and sounds within messages.

Main differences between SMS and MMS

SMS messages have a character limitation up to 160, while MMS text can contain over 1000 characters. But you also have to pay for it and for the attached multimedia content. Moreover, many phones cannot either receive or read MMS as they do not have the necessary technology.

Message costs and requirements

SMS messages are the cheapest ones. To receive MMS messages, just as we have already told you, users need to have a phone with a camera. Moreover, some messages cannot be sent or received by the service providers, because they contain a certain amount of information that is hard to process. So, MMS messages can take longer to load.

RCS (Rich Communication Services).

RCS o Rich Communication Services is a type of technology designed by Google and many device manufacturers. It helps to have richer content in communication, and it allows you to communicate with users in a more innovative and efficient way.

The objective is to be able to send and adapt automatic and personalized messages independently from other networks (LTE, GSM, UMT, etc), countries, and smartphone models.

This project led by the GSMA company offers a global service that covers Europe, North America, Asia, and at least 75% of Latinamerican users. Its arrival in Spain is still delayed, but it will get there soon.

RCS technology will equip the classic message service (SMS) with new instruments to provide modern chat services such as:

Creation of chat groups.
Possibility of knowing if the person on the other side of the line is typing and of having indicators that show whether the other person has received or read the message.