Pair of friends send 217,000 texts in a month

Two US friends spent most of March in a text-messaging record attempt, exchanging a thumbs-flying total of 217,000.

For one of the two, that meant an inches-thick itemised bill for US$26,000 (€29,394).

Nick Andes, 29, and Doug Klinger, 30, were relying on their unlimited text messaging plans to get them through the escapade, so Mr Andes did not expect such a big bill.

“It came in a box that cost $27.55 (€31.15) to send to me,” he said.

He said he “panicked” and called T-Mobile. The operator said it had credited his account and was investigating the charges.

The two residents of Lancaster, Pennsylvania have been texters for about a decade since they attended Berks Technical Institute together.

That led Mr Andes to search for the largest monthly text message total he could find posted online: 182,000 sent in 2005 by Deepak Sharma in India.

Mr Andes and Mr Klinger were able to set up their phones to send multiple messages.

During a February test run they found they could send 6,000 or 7,000 messages on some days, prompting the March messaging marathon.

“Most were either short phrases or one word, ’LOL’ or ’Hello,’ things like that, with tons and tons of repeats,” said Mr Andes, reached by phone.

Mr Andes sent more than 140,000 messages, and Mr Klinger sent more than 70,000 to end the month with a total of just more than 217,000, he said.

Guinness World Records have yet to confirm whether the feat will be recognised.