The present document defines the stage 2 and stage 3 description of the non-realtime Multimedia Messaging Service, MMS. Stage 2 identifies the functional capabilities and information flows needed to support the service described in stage 1.

The present document includes information applicable to network operators, service providers and terminal, switch and database manufacturers.

The present document contains the core functions for a non realtime Multimedia Messaging Service, MMS, which are sufficient to provide a basic service.

MMS uses a number of technologies to realise the requirements of the stage 1 description (3G TS 22.140) [1]. The present document describes how the service requirements are realised with the selected technologies. As far as possible existing protocols (e.g. WAP, SMTP, ESMTP as transfer protocols; lower layers to provide push, pull, notification) and existing message formats (e.g. SMIL, MIME) shall be used for the realisation of the Multimedia Messaging Service.

The present document serves as a foundation for the development of MMS. It describes a new service which has no direct equivalent in the previous ETSI/GSM world or in the fixed network world. In consequence readers may find that certain aspects are not clearly defined or open to misinterpretation. Where any such case is encountered it is essential that the issue is brought to the 3GPP TSG T2 standards body (see page 2 for contact information) for discussion and resolution in order to provide interoperable implementations.