A technological arrangement that leverages cellular networks to transmit short messages, often alphanumeric, to designated recipients. These systems facilitate one-way communication, typically for alerting or notification purposes. For instance, a hospital might utilize this method to notify on-call staff about urgent patient needs, or a security firm could dispatch alerts to field personnel.
This communication method offers benefits such as broad coverage through existing cellular infrastructure and the capacity to rapidly disseminate information to a group. Historically, such systems provided a foundational mechanism for mobile alerting before the widespread adoption of smartphones and two-way messaging. They were crucial in sectors requiring immediate, reliable communication.
