Everyone has gone mobile messaging mad

UK mobile phone users have gone text messaging crazy, sending 560 million messages during August.

According to the GSM Association, which consists of more than 450 global GSM network operators and suppliers, a record nine billion short messages in total were sent worldwide via short messaging service (SMS) during the month.

The frantic pressing of tiny buttons looks set to continue, with more than 15 billion messages expected to be sent per month by the end of the year. The GSM Association previously predicted that some 10 billion messages would be sent per month by the end of 2000, but believes this number will now be achieved by the end of September.

Peter Erskine, chief executive of BT Wireless, said the number of BT Cellnet customers who send SMS messages has risen dramatically over the past year. Eighteen months ago, BT Cellnet customers sent about five million SMS messages in a month, but over the last two months customers have sent around 160 million, said Erskine.

"Even though it is an unsophisticated way of sending data, SMS is the biggest driver of data [over mobile networks]. Around 65 per cent of the BT Cellnet customer base send SMS messages each month and it is no longer just teenagers that are sending them," said Erskine.

The number of SMS messages sent worldwide just over a year ago was one billion, but the GSM Association said the growth in pre-paid services, the development of Wap-based SMS messaging and SMS roaming has fuelled the growth.

"SMS initially took time to catch on and reach a critical mass in Europe before exploding," said Jim Healy, chairman of the GSM Association. "I cannot see an end to the variety of services that will be developed for the SMS medium. Information services are proving simple to use, timely and can be personalised and localised."

In the UK, operators have seen pre-paid customers make twice as many SMS 'calls' compared with contract-based customers. With an expected 500 million global GSM customers at the start of next year, the GSM Association believes the potential for SMS is "limitless".

Ed's note: The author of this story sent 39 text messages yesterday alone. If you have a similar problem, email us (not SMS) at newseditor@vnunet.com