Vodafone NZ Technology Director, Tony Baird said, "Vodafone was the first telco to bring text messaging to New Zealand 19 years ago, with the first commercial text message sent across our network in 1998. We estimate around 100 billion text messages have been sent across our network since then.
"Technology has come a long way over the years and it will continue to revolutionise the way we communicate and share ideas with each other - it's fun to reflect on how far we've come, and exciting to think about what lies ahead."
Papworth said: "In 1992, I had no idea just how popular texting would become, and that this would give rise to emojis and messaging apps used by millions.
"I only recently told my children that I sent that first text.
"Looking back with hindsight, it's clearer to see that the Christmas message I sent was a pivotal moment in mobile history."
Papworth had been working as a developer and test engineer to create a Short Message Service for Vodafone.
One year later in 1993, Nokia introduced an SMS feature with a distinctive "beep" to signal an incoming message.
At first, text messages had a 160-character limit, but early adopters got around this by inventing "txt spk".
This digital language included phrases such as "LOL" for "laughing out loud" and "emoticons" - symbols made from keyboard characters to show emotions.
These would later inspire the creation of the first emoji, which were invented in Japan in 1999.
That same year, seven after Papworth's first SMS, texts could finally be exchanged on multiple networks, propelling them into greater popularity than ever before.
Commenting on the text message's 25 year anniversary, Tristan Liverpool, an engineering expert at cyber security firm F5 Networks, said: "This Sunday will mark 25 years since the first SMS was sent.
"In that time, mobile technology has galvanised the way we communicate, opening up dialogues between people in countries throughout the world."
History of the text:
• On December 3, 1992, 22-year-old Neil Papworth sent the first ever Short Message Service (SMS) from a computer to a colleague. The message simply read "Merry Christmas".
• Papworth had been working as a developer and test engineer to create a Short Message Service for Vodafone.
• One year later in 1993, Nokia introduced an SMS feature with a distinctive "beep" to signal an incoming message.
• At first, text messages had a 160-character limit, but early adopters got around this by inventing "txt spk".
• These would later inspire the creation of the first emojis, which were invented in Japan in 1999.
• That same year texts could finally be exchanged on multiple networks, propelling them into greater popularity than ever before.
