SMS to deliver new ring tone and logo

SMS to deliver new ring tone and logo

By Lim Tri Santosa

BANDUNG (JP): Even earlier than I anticipated, it looks as
though the mobile operators have now recognized the fact that WAP
is not going to do the trick for them.

As I thought, wireless data is still some time in the distant
future and there are indications that operators are refocusing on
SMS. There are many reasons why SMS has not worked in the past.
First of all, the service is totally user-unfriendly. Secondly,
there is no point sending a message if you the other user is not
using the same operator.

In other words, there is still room to move in this market.
With the competition heating up in the mobile GSM network market
in Indonesia, the triopoly (Telkomsel, Satelindo, and
Excelcomindo) will soon have to make a move to link their systems
-- as a matter of fact we believe that such a decision is
imminent. Once that is in place, I am sure we will see some
interesting price competition. I wouldn't be surprised if some of
the packaged mobile services were to include free SMS use!

With SMS, users can customize their cellular phones with cool
graphics using SMS technology. Your mobile phone model should be
compatible to receive logo/ring tone. Nokia is the only cellphone
model that can adjust ring tone and operator logo with SMS
technology. There are no other cellphones which have the
capability to receive SMS and then save it into ring tone or
operator logo. I will reveal a way to load a new ring tone and
fancy graphic logo for free.

Your ring tone is who you are, especially when someone else's
phone rings whilst in a crowded place. You don't need any musical
talent to compose the right tunes for ring tone. Some web sites
offer free ringtones. There are loads of tones to choose from,
such as original soundtrack Mission Impossible, pop songs like
Breathless (the Corrs), classical music like Mozart, and many
more to suit everyone's personality and musical tastes.

The site is www.apic.com.sg (Iguana SMS service). It gives
users the opportunity to send SMS messages to mobile phones
connected to the GSM mobile network. This includes Telkomsel,
Satelindo, Excelcom, and hundreds of overseas mobile networks. As
well as being able to send SMS messages around the world, owners
of Nokia mobile phones are able to send logos and ringtones to
their phone.

Operator logos are the "Home" screen on your phone which will
by default display your networks name i.e., SAT-C, TELKOMSEL,
EXCELCOM. For every operator there is a different operator code.
The code is MCC and MNC. There is a corresponding word "SAT-C"
(as an example) sent from the base-station to your phone. MCC is
the country code while MNC is the operator code. Your phone would
receive this code from the base station and "SAT-C" being the
word. For Nokia phones there is a special setting to store a
72*14*2 black & white bitmap to replace the word "SAT-C". The MCC
and MNC number code are stored within the special setting. If the
phone detects the network operator is the same as the MCC and MNC
code, it will show the logo instead of the word "SAT-C".

When you go overseas or change the SIM card with a different
network operator, the phone would see a different MCC and MNC
number from the one that is stored on your phone. It would then
revert back to the original word instead of your logo. The bottom
line is when you use SIM card of the same network operator (even
though different number) and the same Nokia phone to receive the
logo, the intact logo remains. Thus, if you receive the logo with
Telkomsel SIM card (e.g. 081-123-4567) then you change with
another Telkomsel SIM card, the logo remains. But if you change
with another Nokia cellphone, even though the model is the same
as the former, the logo will not appear. The ring tone is not
connected or concerned with a different SIM card, as long as you
use the receiving Nokia cellphone.

To be able to receive operator logo and ring tone from Iguana
SMS service, you need to meet three conditions. First, Your
network operator's SMSC (Short Message Service Center) must be
connected to a Singapore network. I have already tested and
concluded that all Indonesian GSM network operators are able to
support 8 bit SMS. Secondly, your Nokia phone model must be able
to support operator logo or/and ring tone. Basically, all Nokia
models can receive one new ring tone and one new operator logo,
except the 5110 model, which can only receive one operator logo.
Get your IguanaSMS user account first before you do any other
thing. You will receive an email that contains your login
password after registration.

How can you receive your free logo and ring tone? Click on to
free trial zone. Choose either free logo or free ring tone. You
can pick up any famous ring tone or fancy graphic logo, you can
even create your own ring tone or logo if you prefer. There is a
logo artist template to design your own logo using bitmap black
and white color. Then enter your user name and password into the
request form, press Send Now. Be careful not to enter the country
code in front of your mobile phone (+62) because it is already
known when you select the name of the GSM network operator; also
do not key in the leading zero in front of your mobile phone
number (81xxxxxxxx). Please wait for few seconds for the
logo/ring tone transmission.

What should you do when the logo/ring tone reach your phone?
For most NOKIA models, you will see "Operator logo received" or
"Ringtone received". Press Option and then Save.

Now, you can feel funky whenever your cellphone rings. No time
to wonder whether it is yours or the guy sitting next to you,
even though to some persons customized ring tones are the most
annoying thing in the world. By the way, there are other free
services that deliver SMS ring tone and operator logo with a lot
of choices. Please check at www.boltblue.com and
www.cafefusion.com. More tunes are being added each week in those
sites, so stay tuned for the right ring tone and logo.
(abbaml@rad.net.id)