Mobile phones have had the capacity to handle text messages for years, using the number keys to type letters. Press 2 once for an a, twice for a b, three times for a c. On most phones, no more than 160 characters are allowed per message. Text messaging gained popularity in the mid-1990s, particularly in Finland, where 71 per cent of the people have mobile phones. The fad picked up steam in Britain two years ago.
Some messages are nicer than others.
More than 400 people in the UK sent marriage proposals by text message on Valentine s Day as part of a Vodafone promotion. But Highway Glass Ltd, a company that repairs windows and door frames, recently sent a text message to tell a secretary she shouldn t bother to show up for work the next day. When she showed up anyway, Highway Glass fired her in person. One reason text messages are popular is that they are cheap, though the bill can add up for heavy users. In the US, Verizon charges just 10 cents.