81 Million Mobile Connections
Mobile telecommunications are vital for the UK’s economic competitiveness and in promoting social inclusion. There are now over 81 million mobile connections in the UK. Over 4.8 million people now access mobile broadband services via a laptop and dongle, and 28 per cent of UK adults use their mobile phone for internet access. Operators are working with Ofcom to extend the benefits of mobile communications as widely as possible. Across the UK 96% of people lived in postcode districts with at least 90% 2G area coverage from one or more operators; 3G coverage is relatively similar (95%).
129 Billion Texts
Consumers sent over 129 billion texts in 2010 an average of over five a day for every person in the UK. Data volumes transferred over mobile networks increased by 67% in 2010. At the end of 2010 15% of adults live in a home that has a mobile phone but no landline.