There is speculation that SMS (Short Message Service) may disappear in 5G, which represents the internet of things. People worry that SMS technology may be too old for the new communication era.
Is this speculating reasonable? Or is it just unnecessary?
Let us dive deep into this topic.
1. Technology
From the technology aspect, 5G can still support SMS service.
SMS service has been able to survive among 2G, 3G, and 4G eras. 5G is no different.
As the internet speed of 5G is much higher, the MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) will get popular. Nevertheless, SMS still has its market.
How so?
SMS messaging consists of plain text. People with a cellphone can receive SMS messages by default. This feature makes it a perfect tool for communication.
Sometimes you do not need to see pictures or watch videos to get the message. Plain text is better.
As the trend of the internet of things, communication between objects is getting pervasive.
SMS messages can also play an essential role in this.
It is simple and effective. People with a device can also communicate with objects through SMS messages.
With some AI technology, SMS messaging can get automatic and intelligent.
For example, when a machine finishes one task, it can send an SMS message automatically to people, informing them the job is finished.
When a machine is not working according to the procedure, it can alert people with an SMS message. So that people can know the real-time situation without supervising it all the time.
If you have an intelligent camera installed in your home, and there is a stranger dropping by, the camera can send an SMS message to inform you about it.
These are small use cases. We already get the excitement of how SMS messages may help people in the 5G era.
2. Marketing
From the marketing aspect, SMS will still be vibrant in the 5G era.
To the merchants, the cost of MMS is higher. Some small merchants don't have the budget. Bulk SMS will still be their choice for marketing method.
To the customers, receiving SMS messages from different merchants has been a default understanding. This user habit has been formed, and there is no obvious reason not to keep doing so.
With the help of AI, the algorithm can predict the user's psychology, and send different SMS messages to different users, based on the big data.
In this way, SMS messages can be a good marketing tool for all kinds of businesses.
It's cheap, easy to operate, getting to the customers directly.
3. Communication
Communication can happen between objects, between objects and humans, and between humans and humans.
a. Between objects.
In the 5G era, intelligent objects will contact and cooperate with others automatically. They send messages to each other to communicate.
When there is an internet, they send online messages. If there is no internet, SMS messaging can be an alternative for their communication. Machines can send SMS messages without the internet. That's one advantage of it.
b. Between objects and humans.
To the objects, automatically sending SMS messages to the users is convenient. There are all sorts of communications that will happen. The SMS message can be an essential tool.
A cellphone is a communication device between merchants and customers. In the 5G era, machines and intelligent objects are the representatives of the merchants.
People can use the cellphone to communicate with intelligent objects, to operate and control them if necessary.
In a highly intelligent world, information will be transferred in large numbers. SMS messaging can be an important medium for information transferring.
c. Between humans.
As in the 4G era, SMS messages didn't disappear after the popularity of all sorts of social apps. In the 5G era, it will not disappear either.
Each time, SMS message develops a new purpose as the technology evolves.
In the 4G era, when people use social apps to communicate with each other, SMS message has become a tool for merchants to contact customers.
In the 5G era, when the internet of things becomes mature, SMS messages will carry the communication task between both humans and objects.
It will become stronger.
Conclusion
Like before, SMS messaging is under the speculation of being weeded out due to the 5G technology. Nevertheless, SMS messaging can find its new purpose and become more important. After all, the cellphone is what will last for a long time.
Be optimistic, and make the most use of SMS messages.
