Derdack, which provides enterprise notification software and mobile messaging platforms, has revealed that the wireless practice of The Marketing Arm is live on the company’s message master xsp SMS/MMS gateway software. The software enables The Marketing Arm to securely and reliably connect to aggregators via SMPP (Short Message Peer-to-peer) for message delivery.

“We quickly realised that of the specialised solutions that were available, message master xsp offered a cost effective and proven system,” says Mike Jelley, co-founder of The Marketing Arm’s wireless practice. “Its ability to connect to aggregators via SMPP, and Derdack’s global carrier class references, were key factors in our decision to choose their mobile messaging software. It’s a very good product for companies that need a reliable and fast method of sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages, and it plays a central role in the provision of our mobile marketing 2.0 solutions.”

The Marketing Arm’s wireless practice provides a diverse client base with a range of mobile marketing services that use SMS and MMS. The agency uses SMS extensively in both inbound and outbound campaigns. A typical campaign could be a sweepstake or competition where consumers can text in a keyword in order to enter a prize draw. Consumers can also choose to opt in for marketing campaigns or to receive updates from their favourite sports team.

Setting up SMS connectivity was a straightforward process for The Marketing Arm, which has also worked closely with Derdack to set up its MMS connectivity. message master xsp also supports MMS services, including The Marketing Arm’s mPhoto photo blogging service.  mPhoto enables customers to take a photo with a cameraphone and publish it to a blog simply by sending it to a shortcode, removing the need for customers to have file upload capability on the handset.

“message master xsp has allowed us to respond to and take advantage of the new market opportunity represented by the growing trend in MMS usage,” says Jelley. “It’s also enabled us to deliver a more consistent, reliable service to our customers irrespective of the message volumes.”