Skip to main content

What is a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)?

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) or sometimes called Multimedia Messaging System is a communications technology developed by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) that allows users to exchange multimedia communications between capable mobile phones and other devices.

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) allows for non-real-time transmission of various kinds of multimedia contents, such as images, audio, and video clips. It is an extension to the Short Message Service (SMS) protocol, MMS defines a way to almost instantaneously send and receive wireless messages that include images, audio, and video clips in addition to text. When the technology has been fully developed, it will support the transmission of streaming video. A common current application of MMS messaging is picture messaging (the use of camera phones to take photos for immediate delivery to a mobile recipient). Other possibilities include animations and graphic presentations of stock quotes, sports news, and weather reports.