While SMS is a fantastic technology for consumers, there is a roadblock to SMS use in companies due to the security problems inherent in this unencrypted communications medium. Business users such as financial institutions and those in e-commerce would use SMS more broadly as a communications medium if it were more secure.

One way to increase the security level is to add encryption and a company called CellTrust is doing just that. The Arizona-based company has developed a product called the SecureSMS Gateway which encrypts SMS messages and moreover adds a wealth of new features to which in some ways rivals what a Blackberry Enterprise Server can do.

For example, the service can determine if an SMS was received and if it was opened. If a handset is lost it is further able to remotely wipe the handset. It can also determine if a device can indeed receive an encrypted SMS message and moreover it’s APIs are very similar for sending both encrypted and unencrypted messages.

For service providers, SecureSMS allows them to have a better understanding of when messages are opened and moreover allows them to send messages without the concern that tower operators and aggregators are eavesdropping.

SMS is becoming a much more important mechanism in which to communicate and just today in Fact Amazon has launched a service which allows users to shop via SMS. As more and more important information is transmitted via texting or short message service, it seems obvious that we explore how to send these messages more securely.