If any further evidence is needed that technology can change the world--and often in totally unanticipated ways--consider what happened in the Philippines in January 2001. Thousands of Filipinos, unhappy with their corrupt government, took to the streets to demonstrate against President Joseph Estrada, ultimately forcing him to resign. Mobile phones played a key role in stimulating and organizing the protests--not voice communications, but short text messages sent from one phone to another, or from one phone to many others. First they were used to send political jokes; later they spread the word on where demonstrations were being held.

Short Messaging Service, or SMS, was not developed as a political tool. Rather it was made possible almost incidentally as a byproduct of wireless telephone networks, and to some extent, the integration of those networks with the Internet. Once a wireless voice capability exists, adapting the system to send text data is rather easy, technologically speaking. Initial applications focused on using cell phones to replace alphanumeric pagers and on commercial uses like interactive banking or receiving stock quotes. But in relatively poor countries, where mobile phones with prepaid service are cheaper and more easily available than wired phones, "texting" (which costs less than calling), offers a mode of communication that is within reach of almost everyone. And, like e-mail and fax, it is a technology that grows more useful as more and more people get connected.

In addition to the Philippines, SMS has grown rapidly in popularity among young people in Japan and other Asian countries, as well as in some parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. Cost is important here, too, as is the "coolness" factor, as more and more students begin to use the technology to flirt, to arrange rendezvous, and (as one article linked below suggests) to help each other during exams.

There are several reasons why SMS has not yet taken hold in the same way in the United States. Probably most important is the incompatibility of U.S. mobile phone systems. (See Teich's Tech Tidbit for February 26, 2001.) Users from one network cannot send text messages to users on another network directly (i.e., by simply addressing a message to the recipient's phone number), but instead have to use an Internet gateway, which is more cumbersome and slower. Another probable reason is that the cost factor is less significant for more affluent Americans. Finally, the penetration of personal computers and e-mail in the U.S. is greater than in most other countries, and this likely makes SMS less attractive.

Links:
= highly recommended

"Text Messaging Comes of Age in Philippines," by Malou Mangahas, Yahoo News (January 28, 2001). See also "Estrada Got the Message," Wired News (January 23, 2001). News articles describing how "texting" helped bring down the President of the Philippines.

"Manila's Talk of the Town Is Text Messaging," by Wayne Arnold, The New York Times (July 5, 2000). Describes the text messaging fad in the Philippines before the political upheaval.

"Text Messaging: Boon or Bane?" by Ruby Jane L. Cabagnot, i.t. Matters (December 12, 2000). Perspective on text messaging from a local Philippine news service.

"Text Messaging with SMS," on About.com. Links to help you learn about SMS, find out if your mobile phone is capable of sending and receiving messages, and gateways through which you can send text messages to cell phones via the Internet.

Upoc--"a free service [U.S.-based] that enables you to exchange text and voice messages with your friends and receive up-to-the-minute info -- all on your mobile phone or text pager." The service allows users to form their own groups, subscribe to information services, and more.

smsbot--"an internet relay chat bot that sends short text messages. . . to almost any GSM/PCS cellular phone in the world." Developed in the U.K. with collaborators in several other countries.

"Wireless Providers Are Jumping In on Instant Text-Messaging Service," by Elizabeth Douglass, The Los Angeles Times (October 26, 2000). Reports on the growing availability of SMS in the United States.

"US Lags Behind Europe in Short Messenging [sic!] Service," by Katie Hafner, The New York Times (December 7, 2000). Reports on relative lack of availability of SMS in the United States.

"Wireless Text Messaging: Can You Use this Trendy Technology to Replace E-mail?" by Marge Brown, PC Magazine Solutions (November 21, 2000). No.

Other perspectives on text messaging:

"Phone txt chat 'harms literacy'," by Rebecca Allison, The Guardian (January 22, 2001).
"New Toys for Cheating Students," by Elisa Batista, Wired News (August 18, 2000).
Wireless text messaging on your Handspring Visor, handheld computer. Much easier than typing with your thumbs on your cell phone, but not cheap.