SMS for Emergencies?

Is SMS text-messaging trustworthy for emergency purposes? Some say yes. Same say no. Perhaps ironically, falling on the "no" side of the debate is a major provider of SMS (Short Messaging Services), none other than AT&T.

AT&T makes its position quite clear. The company issued a statement to Raleigh, North Carolina television station WRAL-TV saying "text messaging via SMS is an inappropriate means for any time-sensitive, mission-critical communications".

The TV station was reporting on the use of SMS for 911 calls after an Iowa PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) announced it was the first in the nation to accept 911 text messages. Black Hawk County Police Chief Thomas Jennings was quoted by Associated Press saying "there's a need to get out front and get this technology available".

Despite reservations by AT&T, SMS and other types of text messaging such as SMTP (basically, email) are certainly becoming more popular for emergency alerts and notifications. Higher education uses it widely.

Meantime, lessons learned for SMS for emergency purposes are developing. The first is that not all SMS is the same. Significant differences can exist between one SMS delivery vehicle and another.

Many of the companies that sell SMS for emergency notifications use "aggregators", other companies that facilitate text-message delivery with carriers. Not all aggregators are alike, and processes used by the various "emergency" SMS providers are not alike.

One company, for example, has been sending out emails saying its processes deliver SMS messages four-times faster than its closest competitor. Rave Wireless says it uses multiple aggregators, failover systems, throttling and other things to ensure delivery.

Granted, using SMS for making 911 calls and delivering emergency notifications are two different things. But, in both arenas, we'd best get onboard. Text messaging is growing in popularity. More people will expect to rely on it during emergencies. It won't likely become the "best" means for emergency communications. In fact, we'll probably find there is no "best" means for emergency communications. We need to use lots of means, all we can get our hands on. (That's the "best" means.)

And, what do you want to bet a lawyer wrote the AT&T statement about SMS being "inappropriate" for mission-critical communications?

All the "best",

Rick