UK text messaging figures continued to climb in May 2004 to 2.19 billion, according to figures released by the Mobile Data Association (MDA). Person-to-person texts sent across the UK GSM network operators last month show an increase of over 28% on the total sent during the same period in 2003, and a daily average of 72 million compared to 56 million in May 2003.
The release of May’s figures co-incide with the beginning of a series of drop in text messaging workshops and special promotion days being held jointly by the Mobile Data Association (MDA) and Shearings Holidays at Wyevale Garden Centres throughout the UK for the 50+ age group.
Throughout June and July experts will be on-hand to provide customers with general information about how to text and receive messages, as well as offering guidance on using handsets at home and abroad. Customers can pick up top texting tips, learn how to use predictive text and get a taste of the latest text shorthand.
The programme of workshops has been developed by the MDA as part of its ongoing education initiative for older consumers and follows its recent launch of a texting facility for SAGA 105.7fm, the independent radio station targeting the 50+ age group based in the Midlands. For further details on where to find your nearest texting workshop please visit http://www.text.it/mediacentre/default.asp?intPageID=146 and view news release dated 14th June ‘Wish You Were Here’.
Over the last five years 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: www.text.it/mediacentre/default.asp?intPageID=96.
Text.it also carries out text message counts on specific days throughout the year. Diary dates incorporating the most recent figures are listed on the web site at www.text.it/mediacentre/default.asp?intPageID=478.