Simplified short message service (SMS) procedure for communication with internet of things devices

A method comprising:

• receiving, at a mobility management entity (MME), a short message service (SMS) message associated with a user equipment over an interface with a service capability exposure function (SCEF), wherein delivery of the SMS message over the interface does not require establishing a packet data network (PDN) connection with the user equipment;
• identifying, at the MME, a destination for the SMS message based on a unique identifier of the user equipment included in the SMS message;
• and
• transmitting, from the MME, the SMS message towards the destination.

A service capability exposure function (SCEF) comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a short message service (SMS) message associated with a user equipment via an interface between the SCEF and a mobility management entity (MME), wherein delivery of the SMS message over the interface does not require establishing a packet data network (PDN) connection with the user equipment;
• a processor configured to identify a destination for the SMS message based on a mapping between a unique identifier of the user equipment and an external identifier of the user equipment;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the SMS message towards the destination.

A mobility management entity (MME) comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a short message service (SMS) message associated with a user equipment via an interface between a service capability exposure function (SCEF) and the MME, wherein delivery of the SMS message over the interface does not require establishing a packet data network (PDN) connection with the user equipment;
• a processor configured to identify a destination for the SMS message based on a unique identifier of the user equipment included in the SMS message;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the SMS message towards the destination.