First Text Message Sent Today - 20 Years Ago
By: Big 2 News Staff
Updated: December 3, 2012
Today is a special anniversary for the communications industry.
It was 20 years ago, today, that Neil Papworth sent the first-ever text message. He had to use a computer terminal to send the message to a colleague's cell phone: "Merry Christmas."
"Texting" had a slow start, but eventually it surged in popularity -- especially when it became cheaper than calling. It is the single most-widely used application in the world; 81-percent of mobile phone subscribers use it.
Now, free alternatives like instant messaging apps are becoming more and more popular, and text messaging is in decline.
It was 20 years ago, today, that Neil Papworth sent the first-ever text message. He had to use a computer terminal to send the message to a colleague's cell phone: "Merry Christmas."
"Texting" had a slow start, but eventually it surged in popularity -- especially when it became cheaper than calling. It is the single most-widely used application in the world; 81-percent of mobile phone subscribers use it.
Now, free alternatives like instant messaging apps are becoming more and more popular, and text messaging is in decline.
