Since the first SMS message was sent almost 30 years ago, SMS has revolutionised the way we communicate with each other. Many people think of SMS as old-fashioned and outdated, but in fact it's still one of the most widely used forms of communication, despite smartphones and Instant Messaging Apps. In other words, SMS can easily compete with the younger and smarter players in the industry.
In this article, we celebrate that SMS is still one of the most reliable and accessible forms of communication. We've found some fun and quirky facts you probably didn't know about SMS. Enjoy reading.
1. The first SMS message was a Christmas greeting
The first SMS message was received in the UK in 1993 by Richard Jarvis and was sent by 22-year-old software programmer Neil Papworth wishing him a Merry Christmas. The SMS message was sent via computer, as mobile phones didn't have a keyboard at the time.
Source: The Guardian
2. Postcards and random sentences on a typewriter helped determine the length of an SMS message
In 1985, German engineer Friedhelm Hillebrand was tasked with determining how many characters an SMS message should contain. He sat down at a typewriter and wrote a bunch of random sentences. It turned out that the sentences averaged 160 characters. He also analysed a stack of postcards that together had an average length of 150 characters. Based on this, it was decided that an SMS message should be 160 characters long. This is still true today. However, it is now possible to merge up to 9 SMS messages so that it looks like one single message to the user.
Source: Los Angeles Times
3. SMS had its big breakthrough in 1999
SMS really took off in 1999 when it became possible to communicate across competing mobile operators. At the same time, mobile phones became more accessible to young people in particular as they dropped significantly in price.
Source: Mobivity
4. 75% prefer receiving an SMS message to making a call
SMS has surpassed phone calls. For example, 75% of us would rather send an SMS than make a call. This is partly because communicating via SMS message gives you more freedom and autonomy to decide when to respond, whereas a call is more disruptive in a busy and hectic life.
Source: Paldesk
5. Communication channel for almost 5 billion people
5 billion people use SMS to communicate. This equates to approximately 65% of the world's population.
Source: Slicktext.com
6. Morse code as ringtone
The original Nokia ringtone for an incoming SMS message, which could be heard everywhere in the 90s, is 'SMS' written in Morse code.
Source: Medium.com
7. American Idol paved the way for SMS voting
In 2003, SMS was given a new purpose when the TV show American Idol started using SMS for voting. Now viewers could vote for their favourite singer by sending an SMS to a number displayed on the TV screen.
Source: Textmagic
8. SMS has formed the basis for a new language
SMS has brought about a whole new language, where communication is done with abbreviations and emojis like “Can we tlk?”. Primarily, it is a relic from when you had to stay under 160 characters in one SMS message, but it also represents the way we communicate today, which is fast and 'on the go'.
Source: Forbes.com
9. SMS saves healthcare up to £150 million per year
SMS reminders for medical and dental appointments save the British healthcare system up to £150 million a year.
Source: Testanywhere
10. Twitter is inspired by SMS
Twitter, which was launched in 2006, was directly inspired by SMS with the golden limit of 140 characters in a tweet. The limit was set to keep the platform simple and accessible to all users, just like SMS. When you add the 20-character limit for Twitter's username to the 140 characters in a tweet, you get 160 characters.
Source: Textmagic
