Method and system for sending messages

Abstract

The present publication discloses a method and system for sending messages in a telecommunications network ( 1, 2, 6, 11, 12 ). In the method, a first text-form message ( 54 ) is sent to a user ( 50, 51 ) of the service, a reply ( 55 ) to the first text-form message is received from the user ( 50, 51 ) of the service to an address defined in the previous message, if the reply is of the correct form and content, the desired service ( 56, 58, 61 ) is sent to the user of the service. According to the invention, the user ( 50, 51 ) of the message service is offered a second service by a message ( 62 ), the information (such as the sending number is text-message traffic) defining the reply address of which differs from that of the first message ( 54 ), and the second offer message ( 62 ) is sent with a sending delay, which depends of the content or type of the first service.

1 . A method comprising:
 sending, in a telecommunications network, to a mobile terminal, a text-form message, wherein the text-form message relates to a session and a current stage of the session, wherein the sending comprises altering a sender address of the text-form message based on the current stage of the session;   receiving, at the altered sender address or at an address contained in the sent text-form message, a reply message from the mobile terminal, wherein the session proceeds based on contents of the reply message;   wherein the reply message is a service order message, which is associated with at least one order for a supplementary service, and which is subject to payment,   wherein the method further comprises initiating delivery of the supplementary service over a communications channel that is not used to send or receive the text-form messages.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising repeating the sending and receiving for at least one subsequent current stage of the session, wherein the repeating comprises further altering the sender address of the text-form message based on the at least one subsequent current stage and sending the text-form message with the further altered sender address. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising authenticating the mobile terminal based on the receiving the reply message at the altered sender address or at an address contained in the sent text-form message. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the text-form message comprises a Short Message Service message. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the text-form message comprises a Multimedia Message Service message. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the text-form message comprises an electronic mail message. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sender addresses comprises an Internet Protocol Address. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the altering of the sender address of the text-form message comprises altering the sender address to an address operative in the mobile terminal's home network or country. 
     
     
         9 . A telecommunication apparatus, wherein the telecommunication apparatus:
 sends, in a telecommunications network to a mobile terminal, a text form message, wherein the text-form message relates to a session and a current stage of the session, wherein the sending comprises altering a sender address of the text-form message based on the current stage of the session;   receives, at the altered sender address or at an address contained in the sent text-form message, a reply message from the mobile terminal, wherein the session proceeds based on contents of the reply message;   wherein the reply message is a service order message, which is associated with at least one order for a supplementary service that is subject to payment,   wherein the telecommunication apparatus further initiates delivery of the supplementary service over a communications channel which is not used to send or receive the text-form messages.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the apparatus repeating the sending and receiving for at least one subsequent current stage of the session, wherein the repeating comprises further altering the sender address of the text-form message based on at least one subsequent current stage and sending the text-form message with the further altered sender address. 
     
     
         11 . The telecommunication apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the telecommunication apparatus authenticates the mobile terminal based on the receiving the reply message at the altered sender address or at an address contained in the sent text-form message. 
     
     
         12 . The telecommunication apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the text-form message comprises a Short Message Service message. 
     
     
         13 . The telecommunication apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the text-form message comprises a Multimedia Message Service message. 
     
     
         14 . The telecommunication apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the text-form message comprises an electronic mail message. 
     
     
         15 . The telecommunication apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the sending alters the sender address of the text-form message to an address operative in the mobile terminal's home network or country. 
     
     
         16 . The telecommunication apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each of the sender addresses comprises an Internet Protocol Address. 
     
     
         17 . The telecommunication apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the telecommunication apparatus comprises an SMS bulk-delivery system.