SMS specialist Airwide Solutions has developed an integrated messaging solution with mobile-IM software firm Colibria. The system, based on Airwide’s Fusion messaging architecture, will handle SMS, MMS, and mobile instant messaging (IM), with full integration between the IM application and SMS.

A significant barrier to the uptake of mobile messaging and mobile email, is the problem of interoperability with other messaging programs and also with the large user base that relies on SMS. Airwide’s offering promises to deal with this, by terminating IM messages as SMS when necessary.

It will also handle SIP traffic when the softphones become available, something which is coming up fast as Nokia devices in particular ship with a SIP client onboard.

“Addressing subscribers’ needs must be at the core of every mobile service. For MIM to be successful, existing SMS and MMS users must be able to communicate with MIM users and vice versa,” said Matt Hooper, EVP of marketing, Colibria.

“This means that operators and technology providers are critical in building compelling, mobile IM and converged messaging services and ensuring their interoperability. Our partnership with Airwide helps operators easily overcome the challenges of implementing a next generation messaging solution that embraces existing messaging services and supports the important evolution to MIM,” he said.

The product is planned to ship in the third quarter.