UK Wireless Texting Tops 16.8 Billion

UK Wireless Texting Tops 16.8 Billion

The total number of chargeable person-to-person text messages sent across the four UK GSM networks in 2002 totalled 16.8 billion according to figures released today by the Mobile Data Association (MDA). The year end figure was confirmed with the announcement of December's text messaging figure of 1.6 billion, an increase of over 100 million on November 2002. December's figure takes the daily average to 52 million compared to 42 million in December 2001 and 24 million in December 2000.

In releasing these figures today, Mike Short, Chairman of the MDA, commented: "It has been a great year for text messaging. We are seeing text messaging used increasingly as part of our everyday lives, from interactive text television programmes (i.e. Big Brother, Fame Academy) to life saving text rescue requests from throughout the world." (please visit http://www.text.it/mediacentre/default.asp?intPageID=147).

For the year ahead the MDA forecasts continued growth with text messaging expected to reach 20 billion for 2003, equating to 55 million messages per day compared to an average of 43 million for 2002. The MDA will monitor the situation with a monthly statistics review - every month the MDA will post the numbers along with a reconsidered forecast for the 2003 figures on its website www.text.it.

Text messaging usage will continue to grow with operators and service providers offering customers text bundles, improved handsets and increased memory capability, coupled with an ever increasing range of services. With significant choice and competition in messaging services the use of text is also expanding into picture messaging, WAP and instant messaging as people explore the range of mobile messaging services available to them.

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