Adults and Mobile Phones

How are Adults Using Mobile Phones? A study by Pew Internet was recently released, which focused on mobile phone behavior among American adults. In this study, it was determined that 72% of American adult cell phone users send and receive text messages on a regular basis. While this is similar to the percentage of American teens that send and receive texts (87%), American adults still send about 1/5 the number of text than their teen- age counterparts. A number of other interesting findings were included in this study, the most interesting of which are illustrated below: 3% of adults 25 to 29 text message more than 200 messages a day. 18% of adults 18 to 24 text message more than 20o messages a day. 65% of adults say they have slept with their cell phone on or right next to their bed. 82% of American adults own a cell phone, Blackberry, iPhone or other device that is also a cell phone. Texting by adults has increased from 65% of adults texting in 2009 to 72% texting in 2010. Flowtown. Source: Pew Internet 9/09 5/10 "Adults make just as many calls, but text less often than teens. Americans say their mobile phones make them feel safer and more connected, but are irritated by cell intrusions and rudeness by other users." - AMANDA LENHART, PEW INTERNET DEMOGRAPHICS OF CELL PHONE USERS: NUMBER OF VOICE CALLS ON CELL PHONE PER DAY: By Gender: I Light Texters IDo Not Нeavy Texters Medium All 82% Texters Text Men 83% All numbers in percentages% Women 81% 63 By Age: 18-29 | 90% 30-49 88% "Heavy texters are also heavy callers & light texters are also light callers" 50-64 | 82% 45 65+ 57% By Race/Ethnicity: White 80% 28 26 Black 87% 25 25 21 Hispanic 87% 20 21 18 18 14 12 By Household Income: Less than $30,000 71% $30,000-S49,999 82% $50,000-S74,999 90% 1-5 Calls Per Day 6-10 Calls 11-20 Calls 20-30 Calls 31 Calls + Per Day None S75,000+ 93% Per Day Per Day Per Day By Education Level: Less than High School |72% TYPICAL NUMBER OF CALLS EXCHANGED DAILY BY CELL-OWNING ADULTS: High School Diploma 76% Some College 86% College + 90% No Calls 5% 1-5 Calls 44% 6-10 calls 22% 11-20 Calls+ 14% WHO SLEEPS WITH THEIR CELL PHONE? 21-30 Calls 5% 30+ Calls 6% By Gender: Men 67% MEDIAN NUMBER OF CALLS Women 64% ON A TYPICAL DAY, BY AGE: By Age: 18-29 10 18-29 90% 30-49 8. 30-49 70% 50-64 50-64 50% 65+ 65+ |34% Race/Ethnicity: White 62% WHY ADULTS TEXT MESSAGE Vs. VOICE CALLING Black 78% Hispanic | 75% A few Several times Once Less Never Other a day times often a day a week Household Income: Less than $30,000 |73% $30,000-S49,999 70% TEXT CALL $50,000-S74,999 | 61% $75,000+ 64% 16% 11% 26% Just to say 'hello' & chat: 34% 16% 18% Education Level: 24% 22% Less than High School 67% 17% 15% High School Diploma 63% Some College 66% College + 67% 15% 23% Do things that are work related: Parent Status: 32% 44% 12% Parent 72% 13% 16% 13% Not a Parent 62% Community Type: Urban 70% 19% 21% 21% 24% Report where you are or check where someone is: Suburban 65% Rural 61% 17% 21% 15% 24% 19% 19% ADULTS Vs. TEENS: NUMBER OF TEXTS ON A TYPICAL DAY: 11% 15% 18% 24% 1 to 10 Coordinate where 15% None 11 to 20 21 to 50 51 to 100 101 + 12% to physically meet someone: 30% 27% 22% 25% 51% 9% 29% 9% Have a long 10% 28% 22% conversation 13% 49% to discuss important personal matters: 18% 18% 24% 13% 13% 23% 11% 29% 7% 8% 2% Adults Teens