Summary of Key Points
The early text messages, which cost just 0.1 yuan each, became a crucial tool for fulfilling social needs (such as sending New Year greetings) and entertainment purposes (such as voting in the Super Girl competition) due to their convenience and widespread availability. Their stable cash flow and user reach helped large internet companies survive the bubble crisis, serving as a vital “fuel” during the early stages of China's internet development.
Detailed Explanation
1. New Year Greetings via Text Messages: A Low-Cost, Essential Tool for National Social Interaction
In the early 2000s, before WeChat even existed, mobile phones had become widely popular. To greet relatives and friends far away, people either made expensive phone calls or sent text messages (which cost 0.1 yuan each, offering a convenient and affordable option). During the Spring Festival, the number of text messages sent nationwide would exceed tens of billions—for example, 17 billion were sent in 2008, averaging about a dozen messages per person. This phenomenon reflected a huge demand for low-cost social interaction: a single message could convey greetings and be sent to multiple recipients simultaneously, saving both money and effort. Telecom operators profited from these messages, while internet companies also benefited by providing templates, group messaging tools, or collaborating with operators to offer customized greetings, motivating users to pay for the convenience. This widespread use of text messages revealed the potential for “massive user engagement with small payments” and helped accumulate early user data for internet companies.
2. Super Girl Voting: Text Messages Generated the First Round of Entertainment Revenue
In 2005, the Super Girl competition became an enormous phenomenon, with fans voting via text messages at a cost of 1 yuan per message (although higher than regular messages). Li Yuchun’s fans cast millions of votes, generating hundreds of millions in revenue for the program and its associated internet technology companies and telecom operators. This demonstrated for the first time that users were willing to pay a small amount for content they enjoyed, creating a model that would later be replicated in live streaming donations and subscription services. It showed that ordinary people were willing to spend on entertainment as long as the barrier to entry was low.
3. A Lifesaver for Large Internet Companies: The Cash Flow from Text Message Services
After the internet bubble burst in 2000, portals like Sina and Sohu were on the brink of collapse. It was then that “value-added text message services” (SP services) became a lifesaver. For instance, Sina offered news and horoscope updates via text messages, with users paying a few yuan per month or 0.1 yuan per message. In 2002, text message revenue accounted for more than 40% of Sina’s total income, turning the company from loss to profit. Sohu and NetEase also survived thanks to these services. Without the stable cash flow generated by text messages, many of today’s leading internet companies might not have survived the crisis.
4. The “Teacher” that Introduced Mobile Internet Usage
Before the widespread adoption of WeChat and apps, text messages were the only way for users to access internet services. To check the weather? Send a message to 12121. To book a flight? Confirm the order via text. To receive verification codes? Text messages were the standard. This habit of using phones to obtain services was gradually established by text messages, showing users that phones could do more than just make calls. It laid the foundation for the subsequent explosion of mobile internet services (such as WeChat and Alipay), as people became accustomed to using their phones to connect to the internet.
Conclusion
Although seemingly insignificant, the 0.1-yuan-per-message text messages acted like a “lubricant,” connecting user needs with internet services. They not only generated revenue but also helped cultivate user habits, ultimately supporting the rapid growth of China’s early internet industry. Although they weren’t the most advanced technology at the time, they were the most suitable “infrastructure” for that particular era.