What is SMS (Short Message Service)?

SMS, or Short Message Service, is the main text messaging format employed by most mobile phones in the world. SMS makes use of standardized communication protocols that allow mobile devices to send and receive short text messages up to 160 characters in length. SMS also allows users to send messages to landlines via an intermediary service. The first SMS was sent in December of 1992, and by 2010, SMS was the most widely used data application with an estimated 3.5 billion active users, making up about 80% of all global mobile devices.