MM1 using M-IMAP

MM1 using M-IMAP SearchSearch
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Razvan
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 12:30 pm:   

hi,
i want to send a MMS using a M-IMAP server. I didn't see this feature in your product. Is there a way to do this using nowsms?

thanks in advance
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 2747
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 09:13 pm:   

Hi Razvan,

M-IMAP is still a relatively new specification. We have not finished studying it yet, so we have yet to make a determination of how and when it will be implemented in our product line.

Other than the Access systems client, are you aware of any other M-IMAP implementations? I would like to gather more information on this protocol.

-bn
Razvan
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 07:25 am:   

hi bryce,
i want to develop a MMS client.I have read 3ggp2 documentation and i see there are 2 standards in sending MMS: M-IMAP and OMA/WAP. I din't see anywhere in theirs documentation HTTP POST.I'm afraid to use HTTP POST (which your product is using) because it is not a standard (please correct me if i'm wrong).
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 2768
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 06:24 pm:   

Hi Razvan,

The OMA/WAP implementation of MMS is HTTP (or WSP) POST based. That is the standard for how MMS clients are interfacing with MMSCs in today's environment. The OMA MMS specs define this interface, which is only defined in abstract format as MM1 in the 3GPP MMS specifications.

M-IMAP is an interesting specification, but so far I've only seen it referenced in specs from the 3GPP2, which is the body that is defining CDMA2000. M-IMAP is an alternative implementation of the MM1 interface.

To date, I haven't seen any indications of current or planned M-IMAP implmentations from any of the major vendors. And it is unclear to me what the motivation is for M-IMAP when the existing MM1 protocol is very widely deployed.

If you are interested in developing an MMS client, I'd go for the protocol that is more widely deployed ... unless you are developing for a system where this M-IMAP protocol has been mandated.

It is odd that M-IMAP does make references to using the MMS Encapsulation Format defined by the OMA. Yet, the OMA also defines the WSP/HTTP POST transactions for MMS in its MMS Client Transactions specification.

I'm just unclear what advantage M-IMAP would offer other than increased complexitity. Unfortunately, the 3GPP2 spec doesn't give any indication of who authored the spec. My suspicion is that it was written by an IMAP server vendor who is trying to look for ways to adapt their server for MMS environments.

Take a look at the various OMA specs. I think the MMS Client Transactions spec will help ease your fears of using HTTP POST.

Do note that your client should be designed to perform HTTP (or WSP) POST through a proxy. On live operator networks, proxy servers are generally used to validate subscriber identity before routing requests to the MMSC.

-bn
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 2769
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 06:25 pm:   

Some readers are probably curious what M-IMAP is ... here is a pointer to the specification on the 3GPP2 site:

http://www.3gpp2.org/Public_html/specs/X.S0016-311_v1.0_022404.pdf