WO2010133830A1

WO2010133830A1 - Automated response text message function in a telecommunications network

Info

Publication number: WO2010133830A1
Application number: PCT/GB2010/000991
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeffrey Wilson
Original assignee: Intellprop Limited
Priority date: 2009-05-18
Filing date: 2010-05-17
Publication date: 2010-11-25
Also published as: GB2470359A; GB0908509D0

Abstract

An apparatus for providing an automated response text message function in a telecommunications network is described. The apparatus is operable to receive a configuration message from a user, e.g. a conventional text message containing text such as ".gym", and to process the configuration message to determine the content of an automated response text message, for example, "I am at the gym". The apparatus is further operable to determine when a message is sent to the user from a message originator, and to send an automated response text message to the originator with the determined content. The content for the automated response text message may be determined from the contents in the configuration message via a pre-defined look-up table, for example, or based on algorithmic processing. Thus users are provided with a simple way of setting up an "out-of-office" style auto-reply text message so that senders of messages to the user may be automatically informed of the user's availability.

Description

AUTOMATED RESPONSE TEXT MESSAGE FUNCTION IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a telecommunications services apparatus for use with a mobile telecommunications system, such as a mobile telephone system. In particular the invention relates to text messaging and the use of automated reply messages.

Text messaging is one of the two main means of mobile communication used by subscribers of mobile telephone networks, the other being voice. Simple text messages can be of up to 160 characters in length and are known as short messages, though the standards allow longer messages by concatenation. Interconnection between many networks has permitted short message transmission between subscribers of different networks, and in some cases also between networks of differing technologies, such as Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and this interconnectivity has led to the widespread adoption of 'texting' as a popular means of communication. GSM is well defined and specified by international standards, which define the functional blocks and the signalling messages that pass between them.

A network architecture for the SMS (Short Messaging Service) has been defined by the GSM specifications, which are now managed by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) organisation (www.3GPP.org). The specifications define two Short Message teleservices known as MO (mobile originated) and MT (mobile terminated). MO messages are sent from a Short Message Entity (SME) such as a mobile telephone handset and delivered in the first instance via a Short Message Service Interworking Mobile Switching Centre (SMS-IWMSC) to a Service Centre (SC). The SC then attempts delivery, retrying as necessary until delivery is successful or the message expires, via a Short Message Service Gateway Mobile Switching Centre (SMS-GMSC). The SMS-GMSC looks up, in a Home Location Register (HLR) of the destination network, the current network node address (associated with a Visited Mobile Switching Centre (VMSC)) and the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of the destination MSISDN (Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network) number. The message in MT format is then delivered to the identified network node address. The combination of SMS-IWMSC, SC and SMS- GMSC are generally implemented as an integrated entity, which is widely known in the industry simply as an SMSC. However, the conversion from MO to MT format is now commonly performed by dedicated SMS Routers, and the term MO to MT entity (or MO to MT converter entity) will be used here to refer generally to any device performing this function in a network (i.e. the term encompasses SMSCs and SMS routers). Thus in accordance with conventional telecommunication standards, e.g. the

GSM standard, MO and MT format messages are different: the MO leg identifies the intended final destination by MSISDN, whereas the MT leg identifies it by IMSI. The MO leg is delivered to the sender's home SMSC (or other MO to MT entity as appropriate) as specified in the MO SMS message from the sender's SME (sender / originator terminal), while the MT leg is delivered to a VMSC identified by the network node address looked up in the HLR. From the VMSC it is delivered to the destination SME (recipient / destination terminal), e.g. a recipient's mobile telephone handset.

Consequences of this type of architecture are that — ■ MO messages are delivered via an MO to MT entity in the sender's home network, even when the sender is roaming

^■ MT messages are sent directly from the sender's MO to MT entity to a network node (VMSC) where the destination subscriber is located, which may be on the same or on another network. Thus text messaging services are supported by the Short Message Service

(SMS). SMS defines signalling messages within the Mobile Application Protocol (MAP) for transferring a short message in the mobile originated (MO) mode between the originating mobile handset and a Short Message Service Centre (SMSC), or equivalent functional MO to MT entity, in the originating mobile handset's network, and in a mobile terminated (MT) mode between the SMSC in the originator's home network and a destination mobile handset (via appropriate network routing elements). Comparable messaging technologies exist for other mobile network architectures, and next generation messaging systems for mobile networks (e.g. Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)) have been introduced. Collectively these are referred to as text messaging services, whether running a second generation (2G) network, an enhanced second generation network (2.5G), or a third generation network (3G). The terms 'short message' and 'text message' can be used interchangeably when referring to SMS.

Provision of an 'Out of Office' message is a well-known application in business telecommunications, both in connection with email systems and with voice mail applications. Email client programs can usually be configured to automatically return a message to a sender during a period of absence of the recipient. An outgoing voice mail greeting message may similarly be used if desired to inform a caller about a called party's current status, though in practice voice greetings are rarely used in this way due to the difficulty of creating and changing the greeting, and the inability for the user to then revert to a previous outgoing message.

It is also known that some handsets have a feature whereby an incoming call can be rejected with a text message. Typically a default text message for this purpose is stored in the handset, and when a voice call is rejected, the recipient is presented with the option to edit and then to send the pre-programmed message to the caller.

It is also known that out of office functionality can be provided in the text- messaging domain, though if available at all from an operator, this is likely to be only in a business environment. In this situation, if a text message is sent to a subscriber that has set up an out of office reply, then this text message reply may be automatically sent to the originator. This message may if desired convey status information, for example an out of office text message might read:

"/ am out of the office until 9 June, for urgent matters please contact my assistant Chris on 07 " The out of office message requires configuration by the user, who must enter the whole text message that is to be sent to message originators while the service is enabled.

It is also the case that social networking has become a prevalent communications activity, particularly amongst young people, where one's current situation or mood or activity can be broadcast with the click of a mouse. The service is particularly characterised by ease of use, and the ease with which the status can be changed.

A problem with current out of office text message implementations is that the automated reply message is relatively difficult and inconvenient to set up and change, compared to the ease with which analogous situational status can be changed, for example, on an instant messaging service.

While the presently available out-of-office implementations in the text message domain may be suitable for extended periods of absence as in the example above, it is unlikely to be used in situations where a subscriber is 'Popping out for an hour' or 'In the Gym' because of the effort involved in setting-up the

There is therefore a need for a service whereby some of the simplicity, and therefore the usability, of the status reporting that currently exists in Internet social networking is achieved with an automated situation message (auto-reply message) that can be sent as a reply to text message originators in a mobile telephone network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for providing an automated response text message function in a telecommunications network, the apparatus being operable to receive a configuration message from a user, to process the configuration message to determine content for an automated response text message, to determine that a message originator has sent a text message to the user based on said text message from said originator being received in the telecommunications network in a mobile terminated format, and to send an automated response text message to the originator with the determined content.

The processing of the configuration message may be performed before or after the apparatus has determined that a message originator has sent a text message to the user.

The apparatus may be operable to select at least a part of the content for the automated response text message from a pre-defined list of text strings, wherein the selection is based on configuration data in the configuration message. For example, the apparatus may be operable to determine the part of the content for the automated response text message from the pre-defined list of text strings using a pre-defined look-up table or a database relating potential configuration data to respective text strings.

The pre-defined list of text strings may be fixed, or may be user-configurable. Similarly, the configuration data on which the selection from the pre-defined list of text strings is based may be fixed or may be user-configurable.

The apparatus may be operable to extract configuration data from the configuration message according to a predefined syntax, e.g. with the configuration message comprising a specified symbol followed by configuration data to be extracted, and wherein the content for the automated response text message is determined by processing the extracted configuration data.

At least part of the content of the configuration message may comprise at least a part of the content of the automated response text message. At least a part of the content of the configuration message may be algorithmically processed to determine at least part of the content of the automated response text message.

At least a part of the content of the configuration message may comprise a time indication, the time indication being derived from the content and/or timing of the configuration message sent by the user.

Sending of automated response text messages may be automatically disabled after a time determined from the content and/or timing of the configuration message sent by the user. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for providing an automated response text message in a telecommunications network, comprising receiving a configuration message from a user, processing the configuration message to determine content for an automated response text message, determining that a message originator has sent a text message to the user, and sending an automated response text message to the originator with the determined content.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a telecommunications service apparatus having means for sending an automated response text message to the originator of a message sent to a user, the apparatus being operable to receive a configuration message from the said user, and to process the configuration message in order to determine the content of the automated response text message.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the apparatus is operable to select at least part of the automated response text message from a pre-defined list of text strings wherein the selection is determined by the content of the configuration message.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the apparatus is operable to select at least part of the automated response text message from a pre-defined list of text strings stored in a lookup table or database.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the apparatus is operable to use at least part of the content of the configuration message as a key to look up at least part of the automated response text message in a lookup table or database. According to a further aspect of the invention, the apparatus is operable to select part of the configuration message according to a predefined syntax, wherein the selected part is used as a key to look up at least part of the automated response text message in a lookup table or database. According to a further aspect of the invention, the pre-defined list of text strings may be fixed or may be configurable by the user.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the said key corresponding to each entry in the lookup table or database may be fixed or may be configurable by the user. According to a further aspect of the invention, at least part of the content of the configuration message may itself be used as part of the automated response message.

According to a further aspect of the invention, at least part of the content of the configuration message may be processed using an algorithm to determine at least part of the automated response text message.

According to a further aspect of the invention, at least part of the content of the configuration message may be used to determine a time indication to be included in the automated response text message.

According to a further aspect of the invention, at least part of the content of the configuration message may be used to determine a time at which the automated response message should be automatically disabled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect reference is now made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1 and 2 schematically shows a telecommunications network according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like parts are referred to by like references.

Embodiments of the invention provide for a telecommunications network service whereby subscribers of a network may send configuration messages to configure an automated text message reply that is to be sent to message originators who subsequently attempt to contact the user while the auto-reply service is active. If the service is configured for a subscriber of the telecommunications network, an automated reply message is triggered in response to a text message sent from a message originator and addressed to the subscriber of the telecommunications network being received in the telecommunications network in MT format (i.e. after the message has passed through an SMSC (or functionally equivalent MO to MT entity in the originator's network). Thus messages triggering an auto-reply may be sent by message originators who are subscribers to the same network as the user of the service ("on-net" message originators), or who are subscribers to a different network ("off-net" message originators).

Figure 1 schematically shows a configuration step for a telecommunications service apparatus in a telecommunications network 2 according to an embodiment of the invention. A user (service subscriber) 10 sends a configuration text message via an MSC (Mobile Switching Station) 11, which is routed by an SMS (Short Message Service) Router 12 (or equivalently via an SMSC (Short Message Service Centre) in networks that are not SMS Router equipped) to an SMS Service Equipment 13, which has an attached database 14 in which the configuration settings of multiple users 10 may be stored. This aspect of routing a configuration message from a service subscriber 10 to a service apparatus in a network 2 may be fully conventional and is not described further in the interest of brevity.

Figure 2 shows a subsequent message reception step where an on-net originator 20 sends a message via an MSC 25 to an SMS Router 12, or alternatively an off-net originator 21 sends a message via an MSC 26 and an SMSC 27, and by known home-routing techniques (e.g. as described in EP 1,474,934) to an SMS Router 12 in the user's home network. In either case, the message routing may be in accordance with any known scheme.

The SMS router 12 recognises the intended recipient (i.e. user 10) of the message from his MSISDN (Mobile Subscriber ISDN Number) to be an auto-reply service subscriber, and so routes the message in MT format to the SMS Service Equipment 13, which determines that the recipient subscribes to the auto-response service. Again, this may be achieved using generally conventional techniques, e.g. based on a service level status indicator stored for subscribers in an associated Home Location Register (HLR) of the network 2 (not shown).

Stored configuration data from the database 14 determines whether the text auto-reply service is currently enabled for the user 10, and if so allows the desired auto-response message to be determined. The auto-response message is delivered via an SMS Router 12 and the originator's MSC 25,26 to the originator 20,21. The originally sent message may be onward delivered to the user 10 from the SMS Service equipment 13 via the user's MSC 11.

As will be appreciated form this description, embodiments of the invention can allow a user to readily and simply set his 'situation message', which is an auto- response message that is sent to an originator who sends a message to the user while the service is enabled. The user can also easily configure and disable the service.

An embodiment of the invention may operate as follows. The user 10 sends a configuration text message to a service address, and this message is received at the service apparatus 13. The service apparatus 13 uses the content the configuration message to determine the text of an auto-response message which is to be sent to message originators who send a message to this user while the service is enabled.

The determination of the auto-response message from the configuration message may be made in a number of ways. For example, all or part of the configuration message may be used as a key for looking up a text string in a lookup table which may then either be used as the auto-response message, or may be used to construct the auto-response message. Alternatively, all or part of the configuration message could itself be used as part of the auto-response message, the remainder being provided by a pre-confϊgured carrier phrase. The lookup table and/or the carrier phrase in these examples may be operator-provided or user-specified, or a combination of both. In some embodiments, part of the auto-response message may be fixed, and part determined by the configuration message. In some embodiments, part of the auto-response message may be determined algorithmically, for example in computing a time indication from the contents and/or timing of the configuration message.

In order to distinguish configuration messages from other messages that might be sent to the same service address (e.g. in the event the service apparatus provides multiple different service which may be accessed using a common service address number), a syntax may be used — for example configuration messages could start with a '.' character to indicate they are intended for the auto-reply functional aspect of the service apparatus. Alternatively, a service address or addresses could be used that are specifically for configuration messages only, so that configuration messages may be identified by the service apparatus without the need for a syntactic identifier in the configuration message.

In some embodiments the syntax may permit the inclusion of an indicator in a configuration message, which causes apparatus to include a time indicator in the auto- response message and/or to automatically disable the service at a particular time. Further embodiments of the invention incorporating some of these additional features are described below. It will be appreciated features of these embodiments of the invention may be implemented separately or in various combinations.

In an example embodiment of the invention, the configuration message conforms to a syntax, which allows the service equipment that receives the configuration message to determine that it is a configuration message. In some embodiments, as noted above, a suitably simple syntax would be to commence the configuration message with a '.' character. In this example, if the message does not begin with a '.' the message is not treated as a configuration message. The advantage of using such a syntax is that the service address could be shared with other services that use different syntax. Some example messages that might be sent by a user intending to configure his auto-reply message are given in the following table:

The first entry in the above table ("abc") is not a valid configuration message for the auto-reply service of this embodiment because it does not begin with a ".". Such a message would be ignored in this example. The second entry (".gym") is a valid configuration message, and it is associated with a configuration data word "gym". The third entry (".") may be considered a null configuration message. It is a valid message in that it begins with a ".", but contains no additional configuration data. Such a message comprising null configuration data could be used, for example, to disable the returning of auto-response messages, until another auto-reply message is configured.

Valid non-null configuration data (e.g. "gym" in the above example) enables the returning of auto-response messages, and in this case the configuration data (i.e. the message without the '.') is then stored. When a message sent from an originator to the subscribing user of the auto-reply service is received at the service apparatus following routing as indicated in Figure 2, the stored configuration data for the user is retrieved from the database and used to determine the reply message that is to be sent. (In other examples the reply message may already be determined in response to the configuration data having been received, and the reply message itself may be stored in the database to be retrieved and used).

To illustrate an embodiment that uses a lookup table for generating the auto- response message from the configuration data, an example of a fixed table that could be provided by an operator for use by all subscribers to the service is shown in the following table:

In these examples, an operator-specified indicator « AnyTel auto reply » is preferably included at the start of each auto-response message. This both provides a viral marketing opportunity for the operator (since it will be received by subscribers of other networks too) but also indicates to the recipient that the message is auto- generated. This may be considered important in examples in which the CLI (Calling Line Identifier) of the auto-response message is to be set as the MSISDN of the subscribing user that has configured the auto-response. The operator-specified indicator within the message therefore helps to distinguish auto-responses from normal person-to-person messages from that user.

Thus by sending to a service address a simple message containing only the text:

.gym

a user can enable a service that returns a well-formed auto-response message to any originator who sends him a text message, for example:

<< AnyTel auto reply » I'm at the Gym.

thereby informing the sender of the user's current situation. Alternatively, a dedicated service address could be used for configuration messages, which would allow the entire content of the text message to be treated as the configuration data without the need for syntactic delimiters such as '.'

In this case, by sending to a service address a simple message containing only the text:

gym

<< AnyTel auto reply » I'm at the Gym.

Other embodiments of the invention may operate differently. For example, in some cases the lookup table may be partly or fully configurable by the user. In other words, an operator-provided table may or may not be provided, but a user may in either case have the option to replace or (create and) add to such a table. In one embodiment, such changes would only be available to the specific user who made the changes. The user would preferably be identified by his MSISDN Calling Line identity when making configuration changes and by the destination MSISDN when he is the recipient of a message for which an auto-response message is to be generated. Alternatively, there may be no operator-provided table, and all of the table entries may be configured as desired by the user. Configuration of the table may be done for example by text message, using a pre-defined syntax, or using a web page interface to the service equipment.

It will be appreciated that in the above example table, the look-up table key derived from a configuration message (i.e. the configuration data) bears some logical relation to the derived content for the automated response text message (e.g. ".gym" leads to "I am at the Gym"). However, this need not necessarily be the case. For example, and especially where a user may be provided with an opportunity to edit or create his own message table, the configuration data might simply be a number. E.g. a user might set auto-response messages so frequently that he would prefer to use even shorter configuration messages. Thus the service apparatus may be configured so that a simple ".1" might be used instead of ".gym", ".2" might be used instead of ".meeting", and so on.

In another embodiment, the configuration data may itself be used as part of the auto-response message by including it in a pre-defined carrier phrase. For example the pre-defined carrier phrase could be:

«AnyTel auto reply »

I'm currently <...>

and to create the auto-response message, the system / service apparatus replaces < ... > with the configuration data such as:

at the gym

or

swimming

(e.g. in response to a service subscriber sending a configuration message ".at the gym", or ".swimming").

The carrier phrase in this example may also be either fixed or user- configurable or a combination of both.

In further embodiments of the invention, the system may assist the user in not forgetting to remove an automated auto-response message once its usefulness has finished. This could be done in a number of ways. For example the configuration syntax could be extended to optionally support an indicator from which a relative or absolute time may be determined, after which the auto-response message is automatically disabled, e.g. as in the following example configuration message text: .gym 45min

which could enable an auto-response function for 45 minutes only. In this example, the configuration data for determining the auto reply message is 'gym', and the time indicator is '45min' and is used to determine an end time that is 45 minutes from the current time. E.g. in this example a string portion of the form "NNmin" in the configuration message matches a predefined syntax for indicating the user desires an activation period of NN minutes. In a further embodiment of the invention, the system interprets a time indicator provided by the user in a configuration message and calculates the corresponding end time, which it then includes in the auto-generated reply messages.

For example, the configuration message:

lhour

sent at 15:35, could enable an auto-response of the form:

«AnyTel auto reply » Unavailable until 16:35

and the auto-response would also preferably be automatically disabled after 16:35.

Similarly, the configuration message —

.gym lhour

sent at 15:35, could enable an auto-response of the form —

< <AnyTel auto reply > >

I'm at the Gym until 16:35 Another way to remind the user about the status of his auto-response service would be to use a handset indication symbol. A number of such indications have already been standardised, such as those defined for indicating the presence of a received fax, email or message, or when a user is "roaming", amongst others. One of the lesser-used symbols could be overloaded to also mean that an auto-response message is currently enabled, or alternatively new symbol could be defined. The user will see the symbol and so remember that an auto-reply is currently set up for him.

The user could also be periodically alerted that an auto-response message is currently enabled by means of a message sent by the system to the user's inbox.

It would also be possible to combine the present invention with automatically generated indications sent to the originators of voice or video calls. In this way, if a subscriber makes an unsuccessful voice or video call attempt to the user, then the subscriber will receive the configured auto-response as a text message. In an embodiment of the invention, preferably an automated response message is sent to an originator each time they send a message to the user. Alternatively the automated response may to an originator may be inhibited if an automated response message has already been sent to this originator in reply to a previous message, and the user's automated response has not been reconfigured or disabled/re-enabled in the meantime.

In some languages it may be appropriate to determine the contents for an auto- reply message in a manner that takes account of the gender of the person to who the reply message is to be sent, or the subscriber on who's behalf the message is sent. IN the general case, the subscribing user's network will not know the gender of a message originator. However, in a look-up table implementation, different reply- message contents may be derived depending on different configuration data. For example, if a user is expecting a message from a female friend while he is at the gym, he may send configuration data such as ".gym f to indicate that any message- originator gender specific aspects of the reply message are to assume the recipient of the reply message is female. A similar syntax could be used for situations where the subscribing user's gender is significant to the content of the message sent on his behalf. For example, a male user could send configuration data such as ".gym M" to indicate he is male. Upper and lower case letters might be used to distinguish between the indicated gender of the sender or recipient. E.g. configuration data ".gym Mf might be used to generate an auto-reply message in a format suitable for sending on behalf of a male subscriber to a female recipient. In another example, the subscribing user may configure a network-stored option to specify the gender formats to use.

In some countries, e.g. where multiple languages are common, it may also be appropriate for the contents of the auto reply message to be provided in two (or more) languages. The features of the invention described in the various embodiments above may be used in any combination, and the corresponding embodiments containing such combinations of features are also envisaged as aspects of the invention.

In so far as the embodiments of the invention described above may be implemented, at least in part, using software controlled processing apparatus, it will be appreciated that a computer program providing such software control and a storage medium by which such a computer program is stored are envisaged as aspects of the invention.

Thus there has been described an apparatus for providing an automated response text message function in a telecommunications network. The apparatus is operable to receive a configuration message from a user, e.g. a conventional text message containing text such as ".gym", and to process the configuration message to determine the content of an automated response text message, the contents of the auto reply message being different from the contents of the configuration message, for example, "I am at the gym". The apparatus is further operable to determine when a message is sent to the user from a message originator, and to send an automated response text message to the originator with the determined content. The content for the automated response text message may be determined from the contents in the configuration message via a pre-defined look-up table, for example, or based on algorithmic processing. Thus users are provided with a simple way of setting up an "out-of-office" style auto-reply text message so that senders of messages to the user may be automatically informed of the user's availability. Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. It will be appreciated that features of the dependent claims may be combined with features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combinations other than those explicitly set out in the claims.

REFERENCES

[1] EP 1,474,934

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing an automated response text message function in a telecommunications network, the apparatus being operable to receive a configuration message from a user, to process the configuration message to determine content for an automated response text message, to determine that a message originator has sent a text message to the user based on said text message from said originator being received in the telecommunications network in a mobile terminated format, and to send an automated response text message to the originator with the determined content.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is operable to select at least a part of the content for the automated response text message from a predefined list of text strings, wherein the selection is based on configuration data in the configuration message.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is operable to determine the part of the content for the automated response text message from the pre-defined list of text strings using a pre-defined look-up table or a database relating potential configuration data to respective text strings.

4. An apparatus according to any of claims 2 or 3, wherein the pre-defined list of text strings is user-configurable.

5. An apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the configuration data on which the selection from the pre-defined list of text strings is based is user- configurable.

6. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is operable to extract configuration data from the configuration message according to a predefined syntax, and wherein the content for the automated response text message is determined by processing the extracted configuration data.

7. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein at least part of the content of the configuration message comprises at least a part of the content of the automated response text message.

8. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, operable such that at least a part of the content of the configuration message is algorithmically processed to determine at least part of the content of the automated response text message.

9. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, operable such that at least a part of the content of the configuration message comprises a time indication, the time indication being derived from the content and/or timing of the configuration message sent by the user.

10. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, operable such that the sending of automated response text messages is disabled after a time determined from the content and/or timing of the configuration message sent by the user.

11. A method for providing an automated response text message in a telecommunications network, comprising receiving a configuration message from a user, processing the configuration message to determine content for an automated response text message, determining that a message originator has sent a text message to the user based on said text message from said originator being received in the telecommunications network in a mobile terminated format, and sending an automated response text message to the originator with the determined content.

12. A method according to claim 11, comprising selecting at least a part of the content for the automated response text message from a pre-defined list of text strings, wherein the selection is based on configuration data in the configuration message.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the part of the content for the automated response text message from the pre-defined list of text strings is determined using a pre-defined look-up table or a database relating potential configuration data to respective text strings.

14. A method according to any of claims 12 or 13, wherein the pre-defined list of text strings is user-configurable.

15. A method according to any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the configuration data on which the selection from the pre-defined list of text strings is based is user- configurable.

16. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein configuration data is extracted from the configuration message according to a predefined syntax, and wherein the content for the automated response text message is determined by processing the extracted configuration data.

17. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein at least part of the content of the configuration message comprises at least a part of the content of the automated response text message.

18. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein at least a part of the content of the configuration message is algorithmically processed to determine at least a part of the content of the automated response text message.

19. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein at least a part of the content of the configuration message comprises a time indication, the time indication being derived from the content and/or timing of the configuration message sent by the user.

20. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein sending automated response text messages is disabled after a time determined from the content and/or timing of the configuration message sent by the user.