short message service

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

Short Message Service

   <messaging> (SMS) A message service offered by the {GSM}
   digital {cellular telephone} system.

   Using SMS, a short alphanumeric message (160 alphanumeric
   characters) can be sent to a mobile phone to be displayed
   there, much like in an {alphanumeric pager} system.  The
   message is buffered by the GSM network until the phone becomes
   active.

   (1996-02-18)