MO / MT definitions and billing

MO

Mobile Originate (MO) refers to SMS messages that are sent from a handset as opposed to those sent to a handset (MT). The term is often used in billing to indicate that a message is charged to an account when the handset sends the message.

MT

Mobile Terminate (MT) refers to SMS messages that are sent to a handset as opposed to those sent from a handset (MO). Messages that cost the mobile when they receive them (eg subscription services) are called MT billed messages.

MO Billing

Mobile Originate Billing (MO Billing) refers to messages which are billed to the account when sent from the handset.

This is not a subscription type service (MT Billing model), the handset must send the SMS message in order for the billing to take place. Generally the service content provider will respond with an (MT) message delivering content back to the handset. Usually this MT message will not have any further charges associated with it.

MT Billing

MT Billing is a term used in premium billing indicating that a message is paid for by the handset when it is received on the handset (Mobile Terminated). Generally this is done by setting the From number to one the carrier recognises for billing the recipient.

Since the from number is the same for all messages to all recipients on a network, conversation threading is unavailable.