short message service center (mobile communications) (SMSC)

The Short Message Service Center (SMSC) is the switching and administration center for short messages transmitted over the Internet using the SMPP protocol (Short Message Peer to Peer).

All SMPP short messages are sent to the SMS center, cached there, and forwarded to the receiving address. If the SMPP short message cannot be delivered to the recipient, the External Short Message Entity (ESME), it is cached at the SMS Center until the subscriber is reached and the short message can be delivered to him.

When the subscriber has received the SMPP short message service, the receiving device sends an acknowledgement to the SMS center. If the recipient cannot be reached, the message cached in the SMS center is deleted after a fixed time, usually after two days.