Sybase 365 has processed more than 1 trillion inter-carrier messages since the company launched the first SMS interoperability messaging hub in 2001.

One trillion messages is equivalent to processing approximately 32,000 messages per second for every second of one year. With the phenomenal global growth of mobile messaging, Sybase 365 claims that it is rapidly accelerating beyond the 1 trillion milestone, as it currently processes more than 1.5 billion mobile messages per day.

?This is a big reflection on the continued growth of mobile messaging overall,? said Bill Dudley, group director of operator services and products at Sybase, Reston, VA. ?This is a combined number?while the vast majority of this is person-to-person messaging, it also includes all of the MMS and enterprise messages we?ve sent.

?In 2010 we?re still seeing mobile messaging grow, despite all of the buzz around the apps,? he said. ?Despite all of the new smartphones and such, people still message, and it?s not dropping off, it?s still growing.

?I will say growth has slowed, but not that much.?

Sybase 365 is a subsidiary of Sybase Inc., which was recently acquired by SAP.

The company offers mobile marketing and mobile CRM services helping enterprises engage with their customers at every point in the customer life cycle?from creating awareness to enabling purchases, supporting the consumer post-purchase and driving customer retention.

SMS and MMS are still growing
While it took eight years to get to 1 trillion messages, based on current and expected traffic growth, Sybase 365 should hit the next trillion messages in 2012.

Consumer appetite and enterprise adoption of the mobile channel is fuelling the growth in volume, availability and sophistication of mobile services.

According to the Sybase 365 Global Consumer Acceptance and Usage Report 2010, 70 percent of consumers were interested in additional mobile services.

No other communication medium has the ability to reach more people than SMS, according to Sybase 365.

SMS for enterprises
What started primarily as a consumer phenomenon has now moved squarely into the enterprise.

Financial institutions, retailers, consumer packaged goods companies and many other enterprises are increasingly leveraging mobile messaging for marketing, customer relationship management, payments and mobile commerce.

Sybase expects that this trend will only accelerate.

A Sybase study found that in terms of messaging volume, the United States is now No. 1.

?From September to December is historically when messaging surges?the fall surge,? Mr. Dudley said. ?Mobile messaging is still a money-maker for the industry, and this number reflects it?it will be 2012 or even earlier when we cross our second trillion messages.

?A lot of growth we?re seeing is around enterprise growth, brands and companies reaching consumers via mobile messaging,? he said. ?Short codes are everywhere?text a keyword to a short code is everywhere, it?s part of our daily lives.

?Messaging is still very important?SMS is still the most ubiquitous mobile marketing vehicle.?

Final Take

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