Cellular carriers expected wireless Internet access to be the next big thing, but while they were waiting for consumers to jump on the bandwagon, a sleepy technology that had been around for years took them by surprise. Short Messaging Service, or SMS, has become wildly popular in Europe and Asia, where more advanced digital networks made SMS available long before its debut in North America. Now, SMS is catching on here as a relatively low cost and easy to use solution for on-the-go connectivity.

Short Messaging Service, otherwise known as text messaging, mobile messaging, or alphanumeric paging is a digital cellular network feature. It lets you send short text and numeric messages to and from digital cell phones, cell phones and e-mail addresses, as well as cell phones and public SMS messaging gateways on the Internet.

SMS is convenient and cost effective for a number of reasons. When you compare it with the cost of airtime for voice calls or wireless web access, SMS is a real bargain. Messages can be received while making voice calls, and there are no busy signals to contend with. Plus, if you should you find yourself in a situation where talking on a cell phone is inappropriate, SMS is silent and discreet. Messages generated by SMS are immediately delivered directly to your phone. There is no need to call an access number, as is the case with voice-mail. Also, most carriers offer SMS alerts (information packets, such as stock quotes, sports scores, and news) that can be delivered to your phone at regularly scheduled intervals.

SMS (Text Messaging) is a breakthrough communication medium as evidenced by growth year after year. As of July 2006, over 10 billion text messages are sent every month – and that number has grown by 250% each year for the last two years. To validate the future growth within the channel, over the next 2 years, Verizon Wireless anticipates the number of text messages sent by their users on their network to grow nearly 5x from 400mm per month (in July 2005) to over 2 billion per month.

SMS is also the only universal mobile platform for the masses. It does not require special equipment as it is already available on over 98% of all cell phones.

US Mobile Content Market = 68.7 million text users

-79% of the US owns a mobile phone

-184mm mobile phones users

-182mm text enabled handsets

-31.2mm text & web enabled phones

US Mobile 'Text Message' User

Median age of a Text Message user and Internet home buyer is 38 yrs old.- it's the same client.

Median Age: 38

49% M / 51% F

- Age 18-24: 19%

- Age 25-34: 24%

- Age 35-54: 22%

- Age 45-54: 19%

SMS growth in the United States

Every 6 months since the launch of the CSCA (June 2003) SMS traffic volumes have increased at least 37% in the U.S. It has quickly changed the way people communicate and access information. Currently over 8 billion text messages are being sent each month and experts project it to grow to 80 billion a month in 2008.

At this time we just thought to bring some facts on the SMS that we found around in the internet:

1] A single short message can be up to 160 characters of text in length.

2] SMS standard was defined in 1985 (It is a 22 years old technology)

3] The first text message was sent in 1992

4] The Short Message Service features confirmation of message delivery. So you ca be sure that your message was delivered

5] Short messages can be sent and received simultaneously with GSM voice, Data and Fax calls

6] GCSE results 79 million text messages were sent throughout the UK on 26th August 2004

7] A-Level results 67 million text messages were sent throughout the UK on 14th August 2003. On August 19th 2004, the day last year's A-level results were announced 81 million messages were sent.

8] 94% of 18-24 year olds send personal texts (MDA Professional text messaging report 2003)

9] 34% of those aged between 18-24 send 36 or more messages a week (MDA Professional text messaging report 2003)

10] 14% of people send business text messages on their mobile phone (MDA Professional text messaging report 2003)

11] Over 70% of mobile phone users send text messages

12] 95% of all text messages are delivered within 10 seconds

13] The Mobile Data Association predicts that 30 billion text messages will be sent during 2005

14] On New Year's Day 2003, the number of text messages sent in one day topped one hundred million for the first time, and on New Year 's Day 2004, the daily total reached 111 million messages

15] On New Year's Day 2005, the highest daily total ever recorded by the Mobile Data Association was reached, when 133 million messages were sent

16] 65 million text messages were sent throughout the UK on the last day of the 2002/3 Premiership (11th May 2003)

17] On average 3 million messages are sent every hour in Britain.

18] UK text message figures for January 2005 topped 2.5 billion, with 2.4 billion sent in December 2004 and 2.2 billion for November 2004

19] 50% of women use text messaging as a way of keeping in contact with friends and family - MDA Mother's Day survey

20] 42% of women recognise text as a way of sharing a popular interest with their children -MDA Mother's day survey

21] 78 million text messages were sent by Britons on Valentine's Day 2003, 6 times more than traditional cards and a 37% increase on text figures for 2002.

22] In December 2004, 2.4 billion text messages were sent in Britain as the traditional Christmas card was dumped in favour of a seasonal text message.

23] UK mobile phone owners now send 72 million text messages on a typical day across the four UK GSM network operators

24] On average, 3 million messages are sent every hour in Britain.

25] The Rt. Hon Tony Blair MP became the first UK Prime Minister to use text message technology to talk directly to the people on 25th November 2004, answering questions submitted in advance by text message from members of the public as well as in real-time in a mobile phone chat-room, transmitted live from No. 10 Downing Street.

26] The first local and mayoral electoral vote in the UK by text message took place on 23rd May 2002

27] 95% of all text messages are delivered within 10 seconds

28] 23% of world-wide mobile users use SMS more than once a day

29] 55% of world-wide mobile users who SMS more then once a day are 18 years old or younger

30] 53% of Northeners use their mobile phone for sending/receiving personal text messages

31] Who sends you personal texts? - 80% said friends/ 61% partner/ 39% parents/ 22% children -MDA Professional text messaging report 2002

32] The peak hours for texting are between 10.30pm and 11.00pm

33] You can send the same text to up to 50 people with group texting

34] There are a huge range of services that can send you text updates e.g Movie reviews, bank balances, sports, weather.