| AUGUST TEXTING AGAIN BREAKS UK RECORDS |
25/09/06 |
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For Immediate Release : Monday 25 September 06
Conditions Of Use : MDA to be credited as source.
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| 2006 has regularly seen record-breaking figures for text messaging in the UK with August no exception as the total number of text messages sent soared to over 3.6 billion. This is an increase of 100 million on the previous highest total recorded in July, according to figures released today by the Mobile Data Association (MDA). |
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Contributing to the record total were the text counts taken on the days GSCE and A-Level results were released - 137 million messages sent on 17th August (A-level) and 136 million messages for 24th August (GSCE)
5th Anniversary of the 1 Billion Jackpot
The first time over 1 billion texts were sent in one month was August 2001, with a total of 1.05 billion, or around 35 million messages per day on average. The MDA’s landmark announcement five years ago reported that figures had almost doubled from the previous year – and with the total for 2006 an incredible 2.5 billion higher it categorically proves that text messaging is not just the domain of the nation’s youth but is now firmly embedded within British culture.
Since then, year on year comparisons for the month of August show an interesting snapshot of the unprecedented growth of this form of communication, no doubt attributable to improvements in technology, interconnect between the Network Operators and the nation’s increased SMS awareness and expertise - 1.05 billion messages a month in August 2001, 1.4 billion for August 2002, 1.7 billion during August 2003, 2.1 billion a month in August 2004 and 2.7 billion for August last year. In August 1998, the year that the MDA began collating and issuing monthly UK SMS statistics, a mere 11.1 million messages were sent, 105 million less than the August 2006 daily average figure of 117 million!
For the past seven years the MDA’s messaging website, Text.it (www.text.it), has witnessed text messaging grow from a popular craze to becoming an essential communication tool. The full statistics of this text message explosion and monthly figure releases can be found at: http://www.text.it/mediacentre/press_release_list.cfm |
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- Prior to August 2006, the highest ever total of text messages recorded was 3.5 billion in July 2006.
- 6th December 2005, the Mobile Data Association (MDA) forecast that text messaging figures would rise to deliver an annual total of 36.5 billion text messages for 2006. This estimate was revised in August 2006 to 40 billion.
- May 2006 marked the launch of Phase 7 of the MDA’s generic awareness campaign to promote the advantages of text messaging across all networks, and provide a current information service through the text.it website for both consumers and business users. The consumer campaign targets both users and non-SMS users. The corporate programme focuses on business end-users and incorporates a web-based information service.
- The Mobile Data Association (MDA) was established in 1994 to increase awareness of mobile data amongst users and their advisers. The MDA acts as a focal point for its members, (vendors and users) and outside parties interested in knowing more about the industry
- The MDA announces the total number of chargeable person-to-person text messages sent on behalf of the UK GSM Network operators. These figures are announced in the third week of the following month. For further information visit the MDA website at www.themda.org or the Text It Campaign web site at www.text.it
- Mike Short, MDA Chairman is available for comment
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For further information or to arrange an interview please contact Mark Hawkins at the MDA Press Office :
Tel: +44 (0) 7949 023795
email: mark.hawkins@themda.org
www.text.it |
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