SMS dominates UK mobile data usage

SMS has become a universal communication tool for young and old consumers

Text messaging continues to dominate data usage from UK mobile phones, and is still growing at an impressive 30 per cent per annum, according to a recent survey.

The latest figures from the Mobile Data Association (MDA) suggest that 1.5 billion text messages were sent every week in the UK from January to May 2008.

Text messaging was added as something of an afterthought by mobile operators which had little expectation of uptake. But it has surpassed all expectations.

SMS has become a universal communication tool for young and old consumers, spawned a dialect all of its own and is now used extensively for commercial purposes in logistics and other field-based operations.

"In 2008 we are increasingly seeing other [SMS-based] applications come into focus for business and consumer use," said Steve Reynolds, chairman of the Mobile Data Association.

"Mobile email and instant messaging [MMS] represent new communication mediums but mobile operators need to simplify set-up and access to encourage adoption."

While picture and video messaging is also growing at 30 per cent, it is from a much smaller base. Just 10.7 million MMS were sent each week in the UK over the same period.

Mobile internet access from phones is growing steadily but more slowly at 25 per cent in the past two years, the MDA reports.

There are now 16.4 million mobile phone internet users in the UK, not including those using 3G 'dongles' from laptops.

"There remain a number of challenges that mobile operators need to address to accelerate the growth of mobile internet," added Reynolds.

"The MDA is calling for greater price transparency on the costs associated with using the mobile internet. The findings of this report suggest a real consumer appetite, but confusion and fear over costs may be holding back growth. "