The History of Text Messaging

Text messaging is considered as the fastest andmodel Orbitel 901. For the GSM systems, the first
most reliable means of communication. It hasSMS using a Nokia phone was sent by an
gained worldwide popularity and has attractedengineering student, Riku Pihkonen.
billions of subscribers. Let us learn how textAt first, text messaging has not been very
messaging was developed.popular since it was designed primarily to be used
Text messaging or commonly called texting is theby the hearing impaired. During the 1990s only
process of sending short messages usually 160few messages were being sent through SMS. But
characters from a mobile phone. The latest mobileduring the year 2000, there have been a gradual
phones are capable of sending as much as 20increase in the use of text messaging.
pages containing 160 characters of textAs the text messaging system has been
messages. These messages are commonly calleddeveloped, it had gained popularity which has
SMS, texts or text messages.increased the number of SMS messages as well
Text messaging technology uses an SMSas a sudden increase of the numbers of
gateway in order to hook up any mobile SMSsubscribers.
service to an existing instant message service,Based on statistics, Finland, Norway and Sweden
Word Wide Web, PDA devices, personalthere are around 72% of the total population are
computers as well as to any landline phone.using text messaging. In Europe and North
Some of the devices which have BluetoothAmerica, there are over 85% users of SMS.
devices can connect to a mobile phone as aAmong the Asian countries, the Philippines have
modem can also send SMS through wirelessthe largest population of mobile subscribers who
networks. SMS have been widely used with eitheruses text messaging as a means of
GSM or non GSM systems.communication. An average of 20 text messages
Basically, text messaging intends to provide ais being sent daily by a subscriber.
means of sending message to one person toBecause of this, the Philippines have been
another no matter where they are as long asconsidered as the text capital of the world. On
there is signal coverage from the mobile2007 alone, there are 42.70 million people who are
providers. This service is also used for automatedsubscribers of mobile phones.Text messaging has
systems primarily for the purpose of purchasingbeen very popular in the Philippines because it has
produces as well as services for mobile phone.been a cheap and reliable alternative means of
Text messaging is also widely used in manycommunication.
contests.According to the Global Messaging Survey
According to some companies, the first ever textconducted by Nokia, text messaging has been
message was sent during 1989 by Edward Lantz,proven to be an addictive activity. This has been
a former NASA employee. The text messageconfirmed by a study by the University of
was sent through a Motorola beeper. TheQueensland which is based in Australia. It has been
message consists of numbers read upside downcompared to be as addictive as cigarette smoking.
to read the message.Since text messaging has become very popular
On December 3, 1992 in the United Kingdom, thearound the world, the text speaks or text lingo
first SMS messaging was used in a commercialhas been adapted as a way to type messages
sent through a Vodafone GSM network. The SMSquickly. Text speak are abbreviations of words
message was sent by Neil Papworth with the usewhich tends to avoid typing the whole word which
of a desktop computer. The SMS contains theis time consuming. Another reason is that most
word Merry Christmas which was sent to Richardmobile phones do not have QUERTY keyboards
Jarvis from Vodafone through a handset devicejust like personal computers.