Text messaging started way back when GSM phones were first introduced in the market. GSM phones popularized Short Messaging Service (SMS) which allowed sending of text messages to anyone with a mobile phone. The technology was quickly adopted by the tech-savvy teenagers and almost overtook older means of communication such as pagers and telephones.

Though it maybe easier to do voice calls than composing text messages, the reason why text messaging was preferred more than making voice calls is because of the cost. It only takes 1 peso to send a 160-character text message, while a 1-minute voice call costs 8 pesos already. If all I need to say is “I’ll be late”, then 1 text message is enough. There are also some instances where it is more convenient to text than to call. For example, you want to tell your group to meet at 4:30 pm. Instead of making individual phone calls, all you need to do is just text one message and send them to all your friends at the same time.

Email is another useful means of communication that people have learned to use today. It allows anyone to send messages across the country and around the world. But before you can send a message, you still need to login into a computer, connect to the internet and login to your email account. But with text messaging, all you need to do is just type the message and press send.

IM is another tool that helped made online communication better. Most people who spend most of their time on the computer probably have IMs opened while they’re online. IMs became more popular when they were integrated into mobile phones. But the problem with using IMs on mobile phone is again, the cost. You are charged for every KB sent or received, that means, the longer you chat, the higher the bill. Still not cheap right? With text messaging, you can chat with friends for as long as you want without worrying about the bill. To do that, all you need is a mobile phone and an unlimited texting package.

Text messaging is simply the better option if you need to say something urgent, engage in a small chat, send a joke, give a short inspirational advice, or simply want to leave a reminder. This doesn’t mean that text messaging is “the” only option. Voice calls, emails, and instant messengers are still important, each serving its own purpose. But if we are talking about the cheapest, fastest, and wireless way to communicate, it will definitely be text messaging. It’s a quick and easy way to send a message across the country, wirelessly.