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| Become the world's first SMS NFT |
According to the auction house Aguttes, the world's first SMS in the form of the irreplaceable token, NFT, was sold at a Paris auction for $149,729.
This message says "Happy Birthday". This message was sent from a computer by British programmer Neil Papworth on December 3, 1992 to Richard Jarvis, who later became a director of Vodafone, a British telecommunications company.
Jarvis received the message on his Orbitel 901 cell phone during the company's Christmas party.
The auction house said NFT was an exact copy of the original communication protocol used to send SMS messages. An anonymous buyer who paid with the Ethereum cryptocurrency received a digital photo frame with a 3D animation of the received message.
Aguttes said on his website that Papworth and his colleagues are trying to develop a communication method where Vodafone would allow users to send messages on their mobile phones.
In the end they changed the code and the text transmission over the Vodafone network became a reality.
“Back in 1992, I had no idea how prevalent texting was, leading to millions of people using emojis and messaging apps,” Papworth said.
He added, "I recently told my kids that I sent the world's first text message. The message you sent is clearly a pivotal moment in the history of mobile phones."
At first it was not possible to send SMS from the phone because it does not have a keypad. However, in 1994, with the introduction of the Nokia 210, people were able to cast it on mobile phones.
After five years it became possible to send SMS through various communication networks, which increased its popularity.
The letter was transferred to NFT and sold for $150,000
SMS was originally used as a means of communication outside the phone. The previous 160-character limit for SMS is now used on digital platforms like Twitter.
With the introduction of abbreviations and emojis, the way people express themselves has evolved over time.
Just as the world's first text message radically changed the way people communicate, NFT has also radically changed the art world.
The irreplaceable token is a cryptocurrency that can transform digital artifacts into unique, verifiable products that can be traded on the blockchain.
Each NFT is unique, which means that no two tokens are the same. Since March, the first NFT artwork has been auctioned at Christie's for $69 million, and virtual art has become mainstream.
"The first SMS is historical evidence of human and technological progress," Agutes said.
Vodafone said earlier this month that the proceeds from the sale would be donated to the United Nations refugee agency.