Vodafone to release NFT of the world’s first SMS “Merry Christmas.”
British telecommunications company Vodafone announced the release of an NFT reproducing the world’s first text message “Merry Christmas” sent via the Vodafone network on December 3, 1992.
The first “Merry Christmas” mobile text message was received 29 years ago by Vodafone employee Richard Jarvis. In honor of this event, Vodafone announced that it will submit a message in the form of a non-fungible token on the Ethereum blockchain.
Vodafone NFT of the SMS proceeds from the auction will go to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to support forcibly displaced people.
The NFT sale will take place on December 21, and will be handled by the French auction house Aguttes. The NFT can be purchased for ETH.
The winning bidder will receive exclusive ownership of a unique copy of the original communication protocol text over which the message was transmitted. The proceeds from the sale of the NFT will be donated to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Christian Schaake, Head of Private Sector Partnerships at UNHCR, believes that NFT technology can change the world for the better, and the sale of Vodafone NFT will help some displaced refugees, create a better future for themselves and their loved ones.
Vodafone UK CEO Ahmed Essam added that the company intends to combine technological innovation from the past with today’s cutting-edge technology to help people in need.
The founder of the auction house Maximilian Aguttes also commented on the upcoming event.
“The first printed book, the first phone call, the first email – all these inventions changed our lives and the world of communications. This text message, received in 1992, can be called historical evidence of human and technological progress. We are glad that we can take part in the sale of this “historical monument.”