Tonight millions of people welcoming the new year will use their mobile phone in order to contact loved ones and friends and to wish them a Happy New Year. The German industry association Bitkom estimates that about 290 millions of SMS messages will be sent at midnight. Even though mobile networks are constantly expanded and upgraded by the operators T-Mobile, Vodafone, E-Plus and O2 Germany, it is likely that they will not be able to handle all the traffic and to forward every SMS messages immediately. In some cases, it could even take two or three hours until Happy New Year wishes will arrive at their destination when the SMS messages has been sent at midnight or a few minutes later. But there are ways to avoid this.

For example, you could send your SMS greetings by mobile phone a few minutes prior to New Year so that messages do not get stuck in the expected SMS traffic jam. If you will be sending the same Happy New Year wish to several friends or family members, it will be easier and faster to write the SMS message during the day and save it as a draft in your cell phone’s memory and to create a list of addressees when sending it at night. Users of a 3G phone should also set their mobile to UMTS mode instead of GSM because the 3G networks offer more capacity. With a smartphone you can also send Happy New Year wishes by email instead of SMS. If the addressee uses a cell phone with an email client or a software with email (quasi-) push technology the greetings will get to him or her directly.

Alternatively, you can use SMS services on the web offered by internet access providers or email providers. This could be cheaper than sending SMS messages by mobile phone depending on your price plan and SMS tariff. Usually, it is possible to schedule the sending of the web SMS message (better prior to New Year) so that you can take your time preparing your Happy New Year wishes. There also many so-called Free SMS services on the web, but be careful and read the instructions and the general terms and conditions of such services – not all of them are really free of charge, some add advertisement to your message and don’t forget to put your name into the message because otherwise the recipient will not be able to identify the sender. Another option is to publish Happy New Year wishes in social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or StudiVZ.

New Year’s Eve party in Berlin

Today, the website earthTV starts a New Year’s Eve special: It shows New Year’s Eve fireworks around the world live. Pictures from Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Ruehstaedt and Warnemuende will be shown – of course – at midnight. Before the show begins you can watch New Year’s Eve fireworks from last year.

And: With more than one million guests expected, the New Year’s Eve party in Berlin along the Strasse des 17. Juni between Brandenburg Gate and Siegessaeule will be one of the world’s largest events at the turn of the year. There will be show stages, video screens, party tents, food and refreshment stands, light and laser performances as well as midnight fireworks. More information on the New Year’s Eve party in Berlin you will find at www.silvester-berlin.de.

I wish you all a Happy New Year!