Mobile Texting Up 450% in Two Years, Outpaces Voice Calling

Mobile subscribers in the US initiate and receive significantly more SMS text messages than mobile telephone calls, with teens sending more text messages than any other age group, according to research from Nielsen Mobile.

As of the second quarter, a typical cell-phone user in the US sent or received 357 text messages per month, compared with placing or receiving 204 phone calls. Though the number of calls has remained relatively steady, the number of text messages is up 450% from two years ago.

Q2 was the second consecutive quarter in which the average number of text messages sent was significantly higher than the average number of phone calls placed. Text messages first outpaced voice calls in 4Q07, when the average number of calls placed was 213 and the number of text messages sent was 218.

In addition, the typical US teen mobile subscriber (age 13-17) now sends or receives 1,742 text messages per month (compared with making or receiving 231 mobile phone calls), according to Nielsen. Young adults, 18-24, came in second with an average of 790 text messages, while those age 12 and under sent an average of 428 montly text messages.

About the research: Nielsen Mobile directly measures billing activity through an opt-in panel of more than 50,000 personally liable, postpaid US mobile lines across the top four carriers. Through the billing data, Nielsen reports on everything from how many text messages subscribers send to what games and ringtones they download.according to