Text messaging is celebrating 25 years

Text messaging is celebrating 25 years of delivering messages most of us have now become dependent on — or addicted to, depending on your opinion.

It’s become an important communication tool not only for individuals but also business. Business owners are using the power of SMS Text Messaging to help grow and retain customers.

Exactly when was the first text message sent?

Text MessagingOn Dec. 3, 1992, and a text was sent from Neil Papworth, a developer at Sema Group Telecoms, to Richard Jarvis, Vodafone director.

What was the first text message that was sent?

Merry Christmas.

This Christmas, there will be millions of Christmas wishes sent by text.

About 26 billion texts are sent a day in the U.S., according to Statistics Brain.

In the early SMS days, texting was difficult and oftentimes seen as rude since cell phone buttons weren’t designed to type words. Text messaging really took off after the introduction of the Smartphone.

Text messaging has evolved from those two short words to texts that include videos and emojis. Neil Papworth told the Daily Mail that his Merry Christmas texts now include an emoji, something he never imagined.

Papworth said, “In 1992, I had no idea just how popular texting would become, and that this would give rise to emojis and messaging apps used by millions.”

“I only recently told my children that I sent that first text. Looking back with hindsight, it’s clearer to see that the Christmas message I sent was a pivotal moment in mobile history.”

Read more of his interview.

Text messaging has even invented a language of its own. LOL 🙂

It will be interesting to see how text messaging evolves over the next 25 years. The technology will continue to transform and offer real-time communication ease.

Although many apps offer messaging services, how easy is it just compose a text message on your phone and send it? You don’t even have to type anymore. Just tell your phone whom to text and what you want to say and it will do it for you.

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