<p>A record-breaking number of text messages will be sent this New Year's Eve, forcing the major telcos to upgrade their networks in a bid to keep up with Australia's voracious demand for digital communications.</p><p>Optus says its customers will send at least 72 million texts on December 31 and January 1 - an increase of four million compared to the same period last year.</p><p>Telstra expects 61 million text messages to be sent - 17 per cent more than last year.</p><p>There will also be 2.6 million picture messages sent on the Telstra network - an increase of almost 70 per cent.</p><p><a href="http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2012/12/28/01/01/text-messaging-record-expected-on-nye">Keep reading...</a></p>