Sybase is making no apologies today after blowing the lid off analysts’ forecasts and reporting a 30% growth in messaging revenue compared with a year ago.

The Dublin, Calif., company, which provides interoperability for SMS and MMS, yesterday reported that total revenues for the company were up 11% compared with a year ago.  

Facing significant external market challenges, the company isn’t commenting on 2009. But for now, “we’re in a really good technology cycle,” said Marty Beard, president of Sybase 365, the mobile messaging unit of the company. “This year looks solid.”

The company not only reported a strong third quarter but also raised guidance for the rest of the year. Management now expects total revenue in the range of $1.122 billion to $1.132 billion for the full year. The company said its updated guidance also accounts for an adverse foreign currency impact based on current exchange rates compared to rates at the time it provided guidance in July.

Are the greater economic woes affecting SMS and MMS traffic? Not yet, he said. “It’s cost effective, it’s real time. Everybody knows how to use it,” he said, and more enterprises are adopting it. Worldwide, messaging volumes continue to grow at rates the company historically has seen.