Greetings all,
Anyone using AT&T TAP Gateway for
notifications should read the following notice from AT&T.
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TAP Gateway Service Discontinued
Alternative Options Available
CATEGORY: Text Messaging
TAP Gateway Service Discontinued
Alternative Options Available
CATEGORY: Text Messaging
WHAT:
Several years ago, AT&T Wireless implemented SMS application based on
the TAP (Telocator Alphanumeric Protocol) – this protocol is a method for a
computer to talk to a paging terminal or mobile device. AT&T Wireless
implemented this SMS application onto our TDMA network and made the service
available at no cost to end users.
As of July 31, 2003, AT&T Wireless will no longer provide free public
TAP and DTMF gateways for sending volume SMS messages to TDMA subscribers.
Going forward enterprises will have the option of two fee-based services that
provide improved SMS messaging to both TDMA and GSM devices – 1) AT&T
Wireless Enterprise SMS or 2) EFI Unimobile Mobile Messaging.
What’s covered in this sales advisory:
An explanation of why the TAP Gateway is being discontinued.
A description of two alternative options for large volume SMS messaging, including an exclusive EFI price discount for AWS TAP Gateway users.
The communications plan to TAP Gateway users, including a list of known TAP Gateway users to receive notification.
AWS Enterprise SMS, TAP Gateway and EFI Unimobile Mobile Messaging capabilities comparison. Brief synopsis of competitive offerings.
A description of two alternative options for large volume SMS messaging, including an exclusive EFI price discount for AWS TAP Gateway users.
The communications plan to TAP Gateway users, including a list of known TAP Gateway users to receive notification.
AWS Enterprise SMS, TAP Gateway and EFI Unimobile Mobile Messaging capabilities comparison. Brief synopsis of competitive offerings.
Why Discontinue TAP Gateway Service?
TAP Software Provider No Longer Exists
The third party company, Teknow, who AT&T Wireless originally aligned
with to deliver text messaging services using the TAP Gateway went out of
business two years ago. Teknow is not available to maintain, provide
software updates, or address product issues for the TAP Gateway AT&T
Wireless is currently maintaining.
New, Improved Protocols Available for Better Service
The TAP protocol was a standard predominantly used for basic alphanumeric
paging applications. Customers frequently request a text messaging
solution offering greater security and more reliability than is available with
the TAP protocol. As a result, AT&T Wireless was the first North
American carrier to introduce the SMPP protocol for SMS applications. This
protocol provides more advanced capabilities and for several years has been
widely adopted and deployed in Europe for text messaging applications.
AT&T Wireless Enterprise SMS and the EFI Unimobile Mobile Messaging
leverage SMPP to provide a number of significant capabilities essential to time
critical text messaging applications that were not available with the TAP
protocol, including:
Speed - faster message delivery ensures time critical information is
delivered quicker
Security - a direct, private connection to the AT&T Wireless SMPP Gateway, along with airlink encryption, ensures private messages are more secure.
Reliability - message delivery confirmation provides assurance that important messages reached the intended destination.
Support - The AT&T Wireless Enterprise SMS and the EFI Unimobile Mobile Messaging solutions are both supported solutions through their respective providers. Unlike the TAP gateway which is an unsupported service not fitting for vital text messaging applications.
Security - a direct, private connection to the AT&T Wireless SMPP Gateway, along with airlink encryption, ensures private messages are more secure.
Reliability - message delivery confirmation provides assurance that important messages reached the intended destination.
Support - The AT&T Wireless Enterprise SMS and the EFI Unimobile Mobile Messaging solutions are both supported solutions through their respective providers. Unlike the TAP gateway which is an unsupported service not fitting for vital text messaging applications.
The SMPP protocol offers a more reliable, fast, secure text messaging
standard for sending text messages such as dispatch messages for fleet
operations, notifying customers of new product enhancements or price changes and
a number of other text messaging applications.
Alternative Enterprise SMS Offers
New prospects and existing AT&T Wireless TAP Gateway users have two
options available to them for sending large volume SMS messages.
1) The fee-based AT&T Wireless
Enterprise SMS, which supports SMPP on the GSM network.
2) The fee-based EFI Unimobile Mobile
Messaging, which supports both the TAP and SMPP protocol, among others. A
special migration price for AT&T Wireless TAP Gateway users is available
through EFI (details below).
Migrating to AT&T Wireless Enterprise SMS
TAP Gateway users will need to take the following steps to move to the
AT&T Wireless Enterprise SMS solution.
Two Connectivity Options: End user customers must select from one of two connectivity options to the SMPP gateway. Both of these connectivity methods provide high speed, reliable and secure connectivity between AT&T Wireless and the customer. The option chosen is driven by the customer’s connectivity preference.
WCO Frame Relay Connection: Frame Relay connections are purchased through AT&T Wireless. Pricing and product information for a WCO Frame Relay connection is available at http://business.entp.attws.com/ProdServ/FR/index.cfm. (It should be noted that it can take up to 6 to 8 weeks to order and implement a frame relay connection.)
VPN: End user customers can connect to the AWS SMPP gateway via the Internet using their network elements and ISP connection as long as their router is IPSEC compliant. (Most CISCO routers are IPSEC compliant.)
Integration: End user customers will need to develop their application to support the SMPP protocol. This development cost and timeline are driven by the end user customer.
ESMS Monthly Base Charge for Volume SMS Messages: End user customers will purchase a bulk of Enterprises SMS messages. Enterprise SMS pricing is available in the table below and also available on this external link: www.attws.com/business/data/integrated/enterprise_sms/rate_plans.jhtml;dsessionid=KIYWOZ45MCTCDR1M5W2CFEY.
Migrating to EFI Unimobile Mobile Messaging (Using TAP or SMPP)
If an enterprise would either like to maintain their existing TAP-based
application or move to IP-based protocols such as SMTP, HTTP, XML or SMPP,
AT&T Wireless alliance member EFI can support their needs through its
Unimobile Mobile Messaging solution. AT&T Wireless pursued an alliance
with EFI as an SMS supplier who could leverage the AT&T Wireless
connectivity and provide added benefits such as cross-carrier and Service Level
Agreements. (Reference the EFI Unimobile sales advisory dated April 29, 2003 and
titled ‘New Alternative To Selling Enterprise SMS: EFI Unimobile Mobile
Messaging for complete details on this offer.)
EFI is offering a special migration price for AT&T Wireless TAP Gateway users. This offer includes a substantially reduced set up fee and the waiver of the UIN hosting service for the first year. The following steps must be followed for existing TAP Gateway users to move their TAP application to EFI.
Set up Fee: AT&T Wireless TAP Gateway users will pay a one-time, reduced set up fee of $250 to EFI. (The typically set up fee for non-AWS customers can be as much as $10,000.)
Phone Number Change: The end user customer will need to reprogram their application to dial a different phone number (into EFI). See the ESMS site on BusinessLink for complete details on the procedures a customer will follow. If the customer requires an 800 number, there are fees associated with this service. This phone number change and timeline are driven by the end user customer.
ESMS Monthly Fee for Volume SMS Messages: End user customers purchase a bucket of SMS messages or pay based on their monthly usage. Contact EFI for pricing information.
Communication to TAP Gateway users
Between now and June 5, AT&T Wireless sales representatives should
contact their accounts to verbally inform them the TAP Gateway service will be
discontinued after July 31, 2003 and communicate the SMS alternatives available
to them and the advantages offered through these services.
On June 5, 2003, AT&T Wireless will be notifying known TAP Gateway
users that the TAP Gateway service will no longer be available after July 31,
2003. This window provides customers with 90 days to move their
application to the AT&T Wireless Enterprise SMS or EFI Unimobile Mobile
Messaging solution.
Who Uses the TAP Gateway? Several hundred small businesses to large
enterprises have used the free TAP Gateway services on and off throughout the
years. Because of the configuration and the fact that the TAP Gateway has
been available as a free service, the message sender is unknown. However,
AT&T Wireless has the ability to identify the message recipient if that
recipient is an AT&T Wireless customer. Since enterprises use text
messaging applications to send information to both internal employees as well as
external customers, we believe we have identified a substantial number of the
enterprises using the TAP Gateway by identifying the message recipients.
Most common industries for the destination text message include: Utilities,
Real Estate, Financial Institutions, Airlines, Rental Cars, Consulting Firms,
Medical, Law Firms, Alarm/Security Systems, and typical field service (IT
departments, HVAC, plumbing, etc).
SMS Capability comparison
SMPP: AT&T Wireless is the only major carrier offering SMS through an
SMPP gateway. SMPP offers greater security, less latency, and more
reliability in message delivery when compared to either TAP or SMTP (email
gateway). There are clear benefits for the enterprise customer to migrate
their application to leverage the SMPP protocol to gain these advantages for
mission critical applications (field service [work order, dispatching],
application/server failure notification, etc.)
TAP: According to an SMS industry expert, Sprint PCS, Verizon and T-Mobile
are not supporting ‘large volume’ SMS through a TAP Gateway. Web site
and/or collateral for TAP services from these carriers could not be
located.
ACTION REQUIRED
In the next 30 days contact your accounts using the TAP Gateway services to
inform them the gateway will no longer be available after July 31, 2003.
Communicate to your accounts the SMS alternatives available.
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Regards,
Joseph Watts
Global WAN Manager
Iomega Corporation
