Text turns 15

This month marks the 15th anniversary of the debut of text messaging, reports Switched.

Text messaging is part of the new wave of communication that is quickly destroying more traditional methods, like e-mail, phone calls and of course snail mail.

When the technology was launched in 1992, the Short Message Service Centre, produced by Acision, could only handle 10 text messages per second. Now, SMS systems can handle an almost unlimited capacity.

Students and faculty at Brigham Young University-Hawaii can spend more time "clicking around" than running around, thanks to a software solution implemented for the university by Ciber, says CNN Money.

Ciber recently completed a two-year, $2.5 million implementation of Oracle's PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Capital Management, PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Solutions, and PeopleSoft Enterprise Financials applications for the university.

Part of the implementation consisted of Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Self-Service and application messaging technology. Oracle's PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Self-Service enables students and employees to securely view and change their personal data, such as address, tax withholding and direct deposit information, online from any computer with an Internet connection.

CSG Systems International, a developer of customer care and billing software, is acquiring Prairie Voice Services, a provider of interactive messaging services, for $39 million, says Tech Rockies.

The purchase, which is expected to close in mid-August, could include up to $6 million more in contingency payments if certain predetermined operating criteria are met.

Prairie Voice Services provides inbound and outbound automated voice, text/SMS, e-mail and fax messaging services.