Posted: 30 September 2008

A US survey has found that text messaging has overtaken voice calling as the communication method of choice for those with mobile phones, the Wired Blog Network reports.

The study, conducted by market research group Nielsen, showed that the number of SMS messages sent by the end of the first half of 2008 had increased by 450 per cent in comparison to the same period in 2007.

It was noted teenage mobile phones users between 13 and 17 years old were the most active text messagers, sending an average of 1,742 per month, compared with the average user's 357.

The second-highest age group was 18 to 24-year-old users, who were found to be sending around 790 texts per month.

"With texting now getting close outpacing voice calls two to one, it can't be long until phone users adapt to more SMS based advertising and marketing techniques as well," the article added.

A number of contracts from Orange, T Mobile, 3, Vodafone and O2 are now available in which users can take advantage of free monthly texts.

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