How Broadcast Messaging Functions

In recent years, it's become increasingly easy to remain connected to various information sources at all times. With devices like a cell phone, laptop, PDA, and access to WiFi and cellular networks, virtually all the information you need is available whenever you need it. However, when it comes to delivering messages directly to you — especially to a large group — it's not as simple as dialing a number or sending an email. This is where broadcast messaging plays a vital role.

Broadcast messaging encompasses various techniques used to deliver information to a large number of recipients at once. For example, in case of a weather emergency, officials can warn the public of dangerous conditions. Doctors can notify patients when flu shots become available for the season. Staff at an electronics store can inform customers about the release of a hotly anticipated game for pre-order. While sometimes informative, other times, this information is crucial.

The primary goal of broadcast messaging is to reach a broad audience as quickly as possible. To achieve this, it utilizes numerous communication methods. Information can be distributed via recorded messages, email, text messages, or fax, and can travel through traditional phone lines, cellular networks, or the Internet. Effective delivery requires a database containing contact details and robust hardware to handle a high volume of data transmission.

In certain situations, individuals may need to reply to messages they receive. For example, a dentist might send reminder calls to patients with upcoming appointments. The patients may be asked to press one button to confirm the appointment or another to cancel it. Those sending urgent messages may also require confirmation that their messages were successfully delivered.

Given the complexities and requirements, broadcast messaging typically involves a service provider. This provider is equipped with the necessary tools and staff to manage all the details. The sender, whether an individual or an organization, collaborates with the service provider to ensure the message is delivered as effectively as possible.

Tools offered by providers can vary widely, but they generally include:

Service plans can differ greatly, much like how cell phone plans come with various minute limits and features. Factors that can influence the cost or availability of a service plan include:

After the sender chooses a provider and service plan, they upload their contact list to the provider’s database. Some providers allow the use of pre-existing contact lists, such as email address books. In other cases, senders might need to input contact information manually to create the database before they can begin broadcasting. If the sender is a business aiming to sell or market products, they must ensure their contact list doesn't violate national or local do-not-call lists.

Since people often update their contact details, and not everyone wants to receive numerous broadcast alerts, many providers offer recipients the option to update their contact information and preferences. This can be communicated in the broadcasts. Additionally, senders can set up filters or multiple recipient lists to ensure that individuals only get the messages they care about.

Next, let's explore what occurs when the sender creates a message.

Sending Broadcast Messages

To send a broadcast message, the sender provides the content they wish to distribute, typically through a Web-based platform. The sender logs into their account via the provider’s Web page or another designated URL, then crafts a new message. They specify the timing and recipients for the message. The service stores the details until it’s time to send. When the moment arrives, the system automatically handles the dialing, addressing, and delivery of the messages.

Most services support message delivery through phone, text message, email, or fax. The sender can choose the delivery method, or the service can make the decision based on the recipients' preferences. In cases where delivery fails, some services are capable of escalating the attempt. For instance, if a phone call doesn’t connect, the system might attempt to send the message via text. If that fails too, the service will try additional methods until it successfully reaches the recipient or exhausts its options.

Let’s go over the process involved when the service delivers different types of messages.

Phone Messages

When sending phone messages, senders typically have two options. They can either record a message in their own voice, or type out the message, which the service then converts into a voice recording using text-to-speech technology.

Text-to-speech systems utilize algorithms and rules to convert written words into phonemes, the smallest units of sound in speech. These phonemes are the fundamental building blocks of language. The software breaks down typed words into phonemes, which are then read aloud by a synthetic voice.

The provider typically transmits the voice recording through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a more cost-effective and efficient alternative to the traditional telephone network. To send the message over VoIP, the provider must digitize the sound by sampling the wave at frequent intervals. These samples are converted into ones and zeros, which are sent as data packets over the Internet. A gateway then routes the data from the Internet to the traditional phone or cellular phone network.

Many services can also collect responses to voice messages. Instead of simply forwarding these responses to the sender, the service compiles them into a report. Respondents can answer by pressing keys on their phone or speaking. If spoken, the service uses speech recognition technology to analyze the responses. For more details on this process, refer to How Speech Recognition Works.

Cell broadcasts are limited to sending information to recipients within certain sections of the cellular network.

Usually, the service provider sends voice messages by using a list of recipient phone numbers. A more advanced method is cell broadcasting, where cell phones periodically communicate with nearby cell towers to report their location. This allows messages to be sent only to individuals within a specific cell area of the network. This method can be especially beneficial in emergency situations, but some argue that its use for non-emergencies or commercial purposes could infringe on privacy rights.

Text Messages

The text messages most people send on their mobile phones use short message service (SMS) to transfer the message between phones. In the case of broadcast messaging, the message is sent from a computer to several cell phones. After the sender types the message into the Web interface, the provider routes it to the cellular network through an SMS gateway. From there, the message moves to the short message service center (SMSC), which stores and forwards the messages. The SMSC then sends the message to the closest cell tower, which relays it to the recipient’s phone. For more details on how this process works, see How SMS Works.

Text messages are typically limited to 160 characters, and most wireless carriers charge a small fee for receiving them. Because of this, many broadcast services allow recipients to opt out of receiving SMS messages. Additionally, due to potential delays caused by heavy wireless traffic, many prefer not to use text messages for urgent or critical communications.

Fax

Facsimile broadcasts typically use Fax over Internet Protocol (FoIP), a more affordable alternative to traditional faxing. Similar to VoIP, FoIP transmits data over the Internet in packets. The service can either store the message and send it like an e-mail attachment, or it can deliver the fax directly to recipients' fax machines in real time. Real-time FoIP faxes operate much like traditional faxes but use the Internet instead of the phone network for transmission. For more details on how facsimiles are transmitted via the Internet, see How FoIP Works.

E-mail

Broadcasting a message through e-mail is similar to sending an e-mail to a large group of friends. Providers use robust e-mail servers and high-speed Internet connections to handle mass mailings without overwhelming their network. Additionally, providers collaborate with ISPs to prevent their messages from being flagged as spam. Responsible providers adhere to established guidelines to ensure they don't violate rules regarding unsolicited communications.

While broadcast messaging is an efficient way to share important or helpful information, and can even be life-saving in emergencies, it also raises concerns. Some people worry that the collection of large amounts of personal information, such as e-mail addresses and phone numbers, can infringe on privacy. Others take issue with the content of certain messages. For example, during the 2006 political campaigns, the ethics of 'robo-calls' were widely questioned [source: Lansing State Journal]. Furthermore, many people object to receiving unsolicited messages, even when they have the option to opt out. Despite these concerns, the growing reliance on mass communication suggests that broadcast messaging will continue to expand in the future.