Mobile population has now surpassed Internet population. There are over 85 million mobile users in India and the growing by leaps and bounds. This revolution is fast turning the mobile device into a critical marketing medium and this concept is rapidly gaining momentum.
Mobile phone penetration and SMS usage amongst mobile phone users is high and growing fast.
The cost of interaction using SMS is low in comparison to mail and telephone. Unlike Email and Web, SMS is priced by the number of messages sent, and not by the bandwidth usage.
Mobile phone is always on, in the pocket of the user. The user is almost always alerted to arrival of SMS at the instant of delivery. And the user can also respond instantly.
Although SMS is always on, unlike a phone call, it allows the user the option to view the message at a later point. It is messaging sans conversation, and hence that much less intrusive, and can remain completely private.
Delivery of SMS messages is instant, making it an ideal medium for alerts and timed notifications.
No need to update phone device. The SMS facility is inbuilt property of any phone device.
The short-text nature of an SMS message makes it nearly impossible to distinguish between the feel of one generated by a human, and one auto-generated by software.
SMS messages can be saved till the time the user wishes to delete them. This feature, combined with the always-on aspect to SMS makes it possible to send content that needs to be saved and used further.
Unlike mail and email, SMS messages have a low propensity to pile up and remain unread. They will usually get read as soon as they are received.
A persons mobile number is likely to be used only by that person, the only one being used by that person, and not be changed frequently.