Fifteen letters that changed the world: 鈥楾is the season of giving and in the spirit of Christmas, Vodafone auctions the first ever SMS-text in order to benefit the UN refugee agency.
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World鈥檚 First SMS
Vodafone is auctioning off the world鈥檚 first SMS. It was transmitted through the Vodafone network on December 3,听1992听and received by Vodafone employee Richard Jarvis at a Christmas party. It鈥檚 15 letter听message: 鈥淢erry Christmas鈥�.
The SMS is auctioned as a Non-Fungible Token (鈥淣FT鈥�) in a unique sale organised by Aguttes Auction House in France. The buyer, who will be able to pay with Ether cryptocurrency, gains exclusive ownership of a detailed and unique replica of the original communication protocol that transmitted the world鈥檚 first SMS. The auction will take place on December 21st 2021. Vodafone will be donating the proceeds from the sale to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to support forcibly displaced people. It is estimated to sell for between 鈧�100,000 to 鈧�200,000.
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From SMS Past to NFT Future
Much like SMS in the 1990s and early 2000s, blockchain technology has seen ever-increasing adoption听鈥� and听our world has entered a new era shaped by digital technologies. The Internet and its applications are constantly evolving at an increasing pace.
In the last 12 months, for example, 鈥渘on-fungible tokens鈥� generated and stored on blockchains have finally experienced their breakthrough. These听tokens serve as unique and forgery-proof certificates of ownership that digitally prove ownership over a specific asset. Use cases range from ownership of digital artwork and collectibles to virtual items for online games and web domains, among others.
鈥淣on-fungible鈥� stands for 鈥渘on-exchangeable鈥�, which means that NFTs can be used to prove ownership of an asset and the associated rights for voting, for example, in an unalterable and unambiguous manner. The owner of an NFT holds it in听his听own blockchain wallet听鈥撎齱hich is the equivalent of a digital wallet.
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The Season of Giving
The rise of blockchain technology and NFTs is similar to what Vodafone achieved by transmitting the very first text message. Vodafone will now immortalise its own historic moment on the blockchain by auctioning it off as an NFT on December 21st, 2021.
In the process, the 鈥淔irst SMS鈥� is being sold as a one-of-a-kind item. The exclusive one-of-a-kind NFT (1/1 Edition) guarantees ownership of a unique, detailed replica of the original communication protocol of the first text message听ever transmitted.听The auction will be conducted in Paris on the 21st of December 2021 by Aguttes, the first independent auction house in France. Largely active in the international art and luxury market, they expect to gather bidders from all around the world for this sale.
Maximilien Aguttes:听鈥淭he first printed book, the first phone call, the first email, all these inventions have changed our lives and communication in the world.听This first text message received in 1992 is a historic testament to human and technological progress. It transmitted a message of joy, 鈥楳erry Christmas鈥�.鈥�
To spread joy听to those in need听this holiday season听Vodafone will donate all proceeds from the auction to听UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency,听to support听the 82.4 million听people听who have been听forced to flee their homes听due听conflict and persecution.
Christian听Schaake,听Head of UNHCR鈥檚 Private Sector Partnerships Service, said: 鈥淭echnology has always had the power to innovate and change the world. Through this combination of听groundbreaking听tech and movement for social good, UNHCR can continue helping refugees and people who鈥檝e been forced from home, giving them an opportunity to transform听their lives and build better futures for themselves, their loved ones and communities they鈥檙e living in.鈥�
With this in mind,听from听all of us at Vodafone, 鈥淢erry Christmas!鈥�
