January Text Message Total Reaches Record High

January 2002 saw another month by month increase in the number of text messages sent in the UK, as has been the case since April last year. A total of 1.4 billion text messages were sent during the month, according to the Mobile Data Association (MDA)

Text messaging increased steadily throughout last year, to reach an annual total of 12.2 billion. The average number of messages sent across the networks of the four UK network operators is now 45 million, compared to 29.9 million in January 2001. The boom is expected to continue this year, and the MDA has now forecast that by the end of 2002, the monthly total will exceed 60 million.

January’s total was boosted from the start by New Year’s celebrations, when around 64 million messages were sent between midnight and 3am. February also looks likely to continue the trend, after a record 57.5 million messages were sent on Valentines Day.

Mobile Data Association: 01922 419600 www.mda-mobiledata.org

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