MMS Architecture

The MMS Architecture is the set of standards used by the Multimedia Messaging Service in mobile networks. The standards are prepared by 3GPP.

Overview

MMSC Reference Architecture

The standard consists of a number of interfaces between components found in the mobile network:

MM1: the interface between MMS User Agent and MMS Center

MM2: the interface between MMS Relay and MMS Server

MM3: the interface between MMS Center and external servers

MM4: the interface between MMS Centers

MM5: the interface between MMS Center and HLR

MM6: the interface between MMS Center and user databases

MM7: the interface between MMS VAS applications and MMS Center

MM8: the interface between MMS Center and the billing systems

MM9: the interface between MMS Center and an online charging system

MM10: the interface between MMS Center and a message service control function

MM11: the interface between MMS Center and an external transcoder

]MM1

MM1 is the interface between a Mobile Station (MS) and an MMSC.

MM1 is used in the following actions:

The sender subscriber sends an MMS to the MMSC

The MMSC notifies the recipient subscriber that he/she has an MMS waiting for retrieval

The recipient subscriber retrieves the MMS from the MMSC

The MMSC notifies the sender that the recipient has retrieved the message

The recipient subscriber manages his/her mailbox in the MMSC (uploads MMS, deletes MMS, ...)

The MM1 interface is based on the WAP protocol. It includes the PAP notifications that are transformed to SMS's by the WAP gateway for the notifications.

MM2

MM2 is an interface between a MMS Relay (MMS-R) and an MMS storage database, two components of an MMSC platform.

MM3

MM3 is the interface between MMSC and external servers such as Email server or SMS Centers SMSC. This interface typically uses TCP/IP based protocols for e.g. Simple Mail Transfer Protocol ( SMTP )

Generally, it is the responsibility of MMSC to do the transformation of MMS multi-part binary data to MIME format of email in both the direction

MM3 is used in the following actions:

To exchange messages with external servers such as Email Server or SMS Centers

MM4

MM4 is the interface used to exchange messages between two different MMSCs. These MMSCs are generally located in two distinct Mobile Networks

This interface is also known as the MMSR interface in the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) standards.

MM5

MM5 is the interface between MMSC and other network elements like HLR or Domain Name Server. The communication over MM5 Interface is generally to fetch the routing information. MM5 has been defined by the 3GPP in TS 23.140 as a simple reference to Mobile Application Part.

]MM7

MM7 is the interface between MMSC and a value-added service provider (VASP).

The MM7 interface is used to send MMS from 3rd party providers (e.g., a bank sending a statement or an advertiser sending publicity). It is based on SOAP with attachments, using HTTP as the transport protocol. HTTP request shall be a POST.

The message is a MIME which encapsulates the SOAP envelope and the encoded attachments. The SOAP envelope is an XML where tags are the MM7 protocol data.

See also

ID-MM7

(source:wikipedia)