Some 51 percent of all 10-year-olds in Britain own a mobile phone, but that figure rises to 91 percent by the time children hit the age of 12, according to a survey. The Mobile Life Youth Report released Tuesday, which was commissioned by mobile phone retailer The Carphone Warehouse and advised by the London School of Economics, found that most children used their phones to text rather than talk.
On average, 11- to 17-year-olds send 9.6 text messages a day, almost three times as many as their parents and makes or receives on average 3.5 calls a day. Adults make or receive 2.8 calls and send 3.6 texts on a daily basis.
The growing importance of, and reliance on, mobile phones was highlighted in the study, which was carried out by pollsters YouGov on 1,250 children aged 11 to 17.
Some 78 percent said having a mobile phone made it easier to keep in contact with friends while 42 percent of girls aged 15 to 17 said they would feel "unwanted" if a day went by without a mobile phone call.
Other uses include escaping their parents: one in three youngsters said they talk regularly to and/or send texts to people they do not want their parents to know about.
Texting has also revolutionised dating: a quarter of 11- to 17-year-olds have received an SMS asking them out on a date, while 16- and 17-year-olds are almost twice as likely to be asked out by text than those aged 25 plus.
