From Linguist List – http://linguistlist.org/issues/19/19-2596.html

Title: Txtng
Subtitle: The Gr8 Db8
Published: 2008
Publisher: Oxford University Press
http://www.oup.com/us
Author: David Crystal

Partial Abstract: “Crystal explains how texting began, how it
works, who uses it, and how much it is used, and he shows how to interpret
the mixture of pictograms, logograms, abbreviations, symbols, and wordplay
typically used in texting. He finds that the texting system of conveying
sounds and concepts goes back a long way–to the very origins of writing.
And far from hindering children’s literacy, texting turns out to help it. “

See http://linguistlist.org/issues/19/19-2596.html
for more information.