Very few Americans remain unaware of texting – the ability to transmit text messages between private hand-held devices. The Deaf community was texting before texting was cool. Blackberry devices and advanced pagers were in high use before the idea became popular with cell phone users.
Text-to-911 service is also growing, starting with new FCC rules adopted in 2014. The goal is that emergencies can be clearly communicated without relying on voice. For a few reasons, including geographic limitations, everyone is encouraged to continue using voice or voice interpreters for 911 calls if possible.