SMS

What is SMS?
SMS (Short Message Service) is a service for sending message of up to 160 characters (7-bit mode) or 224 characters (5-bit mode) to mobile phones through GSM (Global System for Mobile) networks. SMS is not a real time communication. SMS messages do not require the mobile phone to be active and within network cover range. The messages will be held for a number of days until the messages are reached the mobile phone. They can be transmitted with in the same cell or to anyone with roaming service capability. People in Hong Kong can send SMS messages to others in Hong Kong or in other country. Comparing to a mobile phone call, the SMS use less bandwidth. Service Provider can earn much more money if all the mobile phone calls are replaced by SMS messages.

You may query that why I am talking about SMS.

Remember that The 4-Tiger of Jordan went to a pub on Friday of the week before last? When we were there, Sunny frequently played with his mobile phone. We found out that he was having a SMS conversation with her who is in US.

We asked why not having a IDD call so that could hear her voice. He said that there is always dead air when having phone conversation. If they used SMS, they could think more before wrote. Moreover, the round trip time of the SMS replies is less important than phone conversation.

It seems that we are having similar situation. Always have dead air when having phone conversation. It may because I have difficulty in talking to someone I loves. Before the relation started, she asked why I was silence when she was there but kept talking after she left. I can't remember what is the answer I told her, but I believe the truth is as same as I just mentioned.

Different from Sunny, our solution is using ICQ. ICQ is a instant messenger that we can chat, as well as transfer files and URLs. Besides, you can set you status such as "online", "N/A", etc. so others could know that your are sleeping, having lunch......


I am almost turning on ICQ 24 hours a day to let her know my most up to date status. With having a loud voice when receiving messages, I can reply as fast as possible. I think ICQ, SMS are good solutions to solve the problems of dead air, isn't it?

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An interesting thing happened in the night. I was waiting someone in the MTR station near the gates. A girl tried to exit with putting her wallet on the Octopus sensor. I guess she put the Octopus card in her wallet. However, she failed to exit and heard some error signal. She took a few steps back and then went to another gate. Error signal was heard again. Afterward, she took the ticket (not the Octopus card) out from her wallet and exited.