20 Years of GSM and SMS

udas writes "Two thirds of the world's population, 4 billion people, use cell phones today, and all of them have access to SMS. Groupe Spécial Mobile (GSM), set up in 1982, created the GSM standard, leading to a unified, open, standard-based mobile network. SMS, up to 160 7-bit character messages sent over control channels (when they aren't busy), was part of the original GSM specification itself. The first GSM handsts were approved for sale in May 1992. But it was not until 1996, when pay-as-you-go SIM cards showed up, and the kids got their hands on it, that SMS gained popularity."

Comments

Re:Still alive

[Thanshin]

Worst mobile standard ever.

Hmm. The "two yogurts and a string" standard is pretty weak too.

Re:ugly abomination

[Chrisq]

ugly, overpriced abomination that should die, die, die.

But enough about cowboy Neil

Please ignore

[Anonymous Coward]

Testing if post as AC appears