The Short Message Service (SMS), often called text messaging is a means of sending short message to and from mobile phones. SMS was originally defined as part of the GSM series of standards in 1985 as a means of sending messeges upto 160 characters, to and from GSM mobile handsets. Since then, support for the service has expanded to include alternative mobile standards such as ANSI CDMA networks and AMPS satellite and landline networks. Most SMS messages are mobile-to-mobile text messages though the standard supports other types of broadcast messeging as well.

The first commercial message was sent over the Vodafone GSM network in the United Kingdom on 3rd December 1992, from Neil Papworth of Airwide Solutions (using a personal computer) to Richard Jarvis of Vodafone (using an Orbitel 901 handset) The text message was "Merry Christmas"
The first SMS typed on a GSM phone is claimed to have been sent by Riku Pihkonen, an Engineer student at Nokia, in 1993.
SMS derives its benefit from two absolute advantages compared to any other form of communication. SMS is the fastest form of communication if measured by actual communication throughput including instances such as the counterpart not being able to take a call, being out of radio coverage, listening to voicemail, put on hold etc. SMS at its worst is a few seconds slower than a direct voice call or Blackberry wireless e-mail etc, but in the best case is faster by hours or even days than any other form of communication. SMS messages tend to be read within 30 minutes where an email message tends to be read in 48 hours.