Published: June 15, 2008 12:29 am      

Text revolution

Cell phones have changed the way America communicates

FAIRMONT — On Dec. 3, 1992, Neil Papworth sent a message from his personal computer to Richard Jarvis’ handset over the Vodafone GSM network in the United Kingdom. This greeting, which read “Merry Christmas,” was the first commercial text message.

Since then, text messaging via cellular phone has evolved and has changed communication along the way.

Major U.S. carriers have been offering text messaging since 2000, said Jack Pflanz, communications manager for Sprint Nextel.

In October of that year, text messaging became available through Sprint with the launch of a text messaging service called Short Mail, he said. In February 2004, the company expanded this service with the start of nationwide SMS text messaging. All of Sprint’s current phones have this capability.

“Initially text messaging was limited to sending/receiving messages to/from customers with the same carrier,” Pflanz said. “In 2002, text messaging became interoperable across U.S. carriers, which started its surge in popularity. And in the last two years or so, text messaging has continued to grow, moving beyond its initial demographic of teens and young adults to users in all demographics.”

Text messaging has also become international.

Pflanz reported that over the past year the number of Sprint customers who use text messaging has increased 23 percent, and teens are the biggest users. Texting is growing fast among this age group as well as 40- to 50-year-olds.

“Text messages operate on a different platform than voice calls,” he said. “The text messaging platform allows messages to get through when a network is damaged or overloaded because the messages are low-bandwidth and designed to keep trying to send, so they can transmit quickly when a connection becomes available — while a voice call requires that various equipment in different locations be available continuously and simultaneously at the time the call is placed.”

“Text messaging is a quick, simple and fun way to communicate without saying a word — whether you’re studying in a library, stuck in a meeting, or in a noisy place.”

Mike Minnis, NTELOS director of public relations, said text messaging really started to become popular in the last two or three years and has continued to grow. Texting on cell phones became an extension of instant messaging on computers, he said.

Younger persons often spend as much time texting on their phones as they do talking, he said.

“I think for the younger demographic, it’s become a primary means of communication on their cell phone and voice has become secondary,” Minnis said.

Texting has also become a useful tool for business people, he said. For instance, if a person is in a meeting and has a question or needs some information, he or she can use text messaging.

Minnis said people are now more readily texting as a way to communicate without getting caught up in a conversation. Text messaging allows individuals to be a little bit more in control of the conversation. They can answer at their convenience and take time to think about their response.

Many adults have learned how to text because their kids were texting them, he said.

“I think once you get comfortable with it, at any age group you can find practical uses for it,” Minnis said. “It’s just right there on your phone.”

People can also sign up to receive text message updates or alerts about items that interest them, such as sports scores, stock quotes or weather.

“Our most popular add-on feature is our unlimited text plan,” Minnis said. “It adds to the convenience of having the cell phone.”

He said the next evolution is probably picture messaging, which has become another extension of the text messaging phase.

Over the past several years, the United States has seen exponential growth in text messaging, said Laura Merritt, public relations manager for Verizon Wireless.

In the first quarter of 2003, 600 million text messages were sent or received on the Verizon Wireless network alone, she said. That number jumped to 22.3 billion for the first quarter of 2007. For the first quarter in 2008, close to 60 billion texts were transmitted.

In June 2007, Verizon hit the milestone of 10 billion text messages in one month. In February 2008, the company reached a new record — 20 billion text messages in a single month, Merritt reported.

In the United States, young persons — like teens and college students who grew up around computers — initially adopted the technology of text messaging and have embraced this capability, she said. This age group is very comfortable with texting, just like they mastered instant messaging.

The older demographics have started to adopt text messaging and have become more comfortable with the concept. While many young people text very short messages back and forth like a conversation, older persons often type complete text messages that are more like e-mails, she said.

Many parents say they are now communicating with their children more than ever, Merritt said. Without interrupting what the young person is doing, parents can text their kids just to ask “How’s it going?”

“This way it’s relatively private,” she said. “You can carry on a ‘conversation’ without people around you knowing what you’re discussing. Parents have learned that this is a very effective (communication tool).”

Merritt said a new language has evolved from instant messaging and texting. Young people have embraced this language of conversation shortcuts, and the older generations are starting to pick it up, too.

For example, LOL is short for “laugh out loud,” and BRB stands for “be right back.” TTYL (talk to you later) and IDK (I don’t know) are just a few of the many abbreviations that texters may use.

“It’s certainly changed the way that (we) communicate,” Merritt said.

Texting is beneficial in settings that may be very loud, like at a football game. Persons can even set up distribution lists so they can send one message to multiple people, she said. Also, texting can be helpful in emergency situations.

Approximately 90 billion text messages crossed AT&T’s network last year, said Beth Gautier, spokesperson for AT&T. In the first quarter of 2008, 44 billion texts were transmitted.

“It presents an opportunity to get that quick exchange,” she said of texting. “It gives that open channel in terms of keeping in touch, especially as children graduate, go to college.”

AT&T has been a sponsor of American Idol since the second season of the show, allowing people to text votes in support of their favorite singers. Gautier said this partnership is initially how text messaging became common and how people became a little bit more familiar with the concept.

Text messaging offers ease of use and allows family and friends to stay connected. Persons can send loved ones a birthday or holiday greeting, or just a quick message to let them know they’re thinking about them, she said.

With everyone moving at a faster pace today, texting allows persons to quickly keep in touch and exchange information. People can ask a question and get an answer, or communicate with someone who can’t take a call at the time, Gautier said.

“As a customer, you want to be able to communicate the way that works best for you,” she said.

Frank Jacquez, direct sales manager for U.S. Cellular’s mid-Atlantic market, said consumers need to research the available wireless carriers in order to find a calling and texting plan that meets their needs. While some people still prefer to pick up the phone and talk, others just want the information quickly without dialogues.

In the past, very few people were utilizing text messaging, but Generation Y and Generation X readily accepted this form of communication, he said.

“Over the course of the years ... it’s progressed,” Jacquez said. “It evolved itself from a single response file communication to what is now a rapid amount of language moving back and forth ... almost like a conversation with somebody else through text messaging.”

According to market researcher M:Metrics, text messaging use by the 45 to 54 age group grew 130 percent during 2006 and 2007, U.S. Cellular reported. During that time, text messaging increased by 41 percent for individuals ages 13 to 17.

Every cell phone that U.S. Cellular offers comes with an e-mail address, which allows customers to send text messages from their e-mail account to a phone, Jacquez said. Customers also like the feature of free incoming text messages.

In addition to American Idol, many television shows are utilizing text messaging for voting systems, Jacquez said.

“I think that probably gives you the awareness of how huge this is, (to) be able to interact with these different game shows that are going on,” he said. “It’s easy and it’s fast.”

On the horizon for cell phones, companies are looking at the possibility of customers receiving advertisements or coupons from local stores on their cell phones. People are coming to “the realization that communication in general has changed,” he said.

E-mail Jessica Legge at jlegge@timeswv.com.