Money News
There are now more mobile phones than people in the UK, according to research released by first direct. The country's 45 million adults share almost 70 million mobile SIM cards (phone numbers) and over 71 million handsets - an average of 1.6 mobiles per adult in the UK today.
Research by the bank found that only 12% of adults have no mobile phone. Almost half make do with just one mobile phone, but 40% of us now have more than one number. And an extraordinary 9% have more than four mobile numbers and handsets.
Gadget-loving men are more likely to possess multiple numbers than their female counterparts with almost 10 million UK men (43%) claiming they have more than one number, compared to 8 million women.
Marital status is also likely to be a factor. Half of married and cohabiting people (47%) have two or more phones, while only 35% of 'singletons' feel the need for more than one way to stay in touch while out and about.
The bank also found that people's work has an influence on the number of phones they are likely to carry. Part time workers are the most likely to have four or more different numbers - more than likely so that they can either switch off from work when they are not there, or so that they are always in contact 'just in case'.
However, despite the overwhelming use of mobile phones, there are certain calls that people would prefer to make from a landline. Twenty eight million Brits still prefer to speak to family and friends from a conventional telephone and in this respect, women are more traditional than men, with 75% of them choosing to do this if they have the option.
17 September 2007 © Moneyextra.com
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