18 to 24 yr. olds = 110 texts per day?

Rico · September 20, 2011, 08:42:44 AM

Ok, I mean come on! Do people really text this much? I think this is an average. Which means some people are doing many more than this. When do they do anything else??

A new Pew Internet study takes a look at the texting habits of cell phone owners. The findings show that of the 83% of American adults who own cell phones, roughly 73% of them send text messages and about 31% of them prefer texting to actually talking on the phone.
Surprising? Not really. But here's the craziest data point: Cell phone owners between the ages of 18 and 24 exchange an incredible 109.5 text messages per day, or 3,200 per month. Back in 2009, a similar Nielsen study found that teens were averaging a few hundred less with only 2,899 texts per month.
(MORE: The Top 10 Places to Lose Your Smartphone)
AT&T famously killed their $10 for 1,000 texts plan back in August to offer two options: $20 for an unlimited plan, or a $0.20 per text option. If a cell owner sends even half of what normal 18- to 24-year olds average at 20 cents each, that'd still work out to over $320 a month. (Hopefully no one actually does this.)
Egregious? Maybe. But it's hardly new. Perhaps it's that every carrier outside of Verizon offers unlimited texting in some form while advertising it as the smarter alternative, giving them free reign to text as they please.
Still, the increase in texting may eventually taper off as smartphone penetration continues to rise; cell phone owners will have viable (and free) channels outside of SMS to communicate with their friends.

Read more: http://techland.time.com/2011/09/20/jaw-dropper-18-to-24-year-olds-average-110-text-messages-per-day/#ixzz1YVY1p5Lu

KingIsaacLinksr · September 20, 2011, 08:45:25 AM

109 texts?! My two brothers combined probably do that but geez....

King

billybob476 · September 20, 2011, 09:13:55 AM

It's not that surprising actually. I'd say Fran and I do between 30-50 in a normal day, we rarely actually call each other. I think Fran used 3 minutes of voice time on her iPhone last month. Her phone is temporarily lost (she left it at a bar but the staff found it) and we're all messed up. You don't realize how much you depend on the thing!

KingIsaacLinksr · September 20, 2011, 09:34:26 AM

Well, ok, I checked the stats of my Twitter account and I tweet about 17 a day with an average of 443 a month so I guess I'm more of a tweeter than a texter.

King

spaltor · September 20, 2011, 10:07:33 AM

The word "exchange" is what grabs me here. I'm guessing that's a combination of sent and received, but maybe I'm underestimating how 'kids these days' text.

On an average day, I don't text at all (but I tweet from the app, and I'm sure some people tweet from text). A "heavy" texting day for me would probably be 30 messages combined, sent and received.

Bromptonboy · September 20, 2011, 01:21:55 PM

Quote from: billybob476 on September 20, 2011, 09:13:55 AM
It's not that surprising actually. I'd say Fran and I do between 30-50 in a normal day, we rarely actually call each other. I think Fran used 3 minutes of voice time on her iPhone last month. Her phone is temporarily lost (she left it at a bar but the staff found it) and we're all messed up. You don't realize how much you depend on the thing!

So it was HER that 'lost' that iPhone5 prototype!! :)

billybob476 · September 20, 2011, 01:26:50 PM

Quote from: Bromptonboy on September 20, 2011, 01:21:55 PM
Quote from: billybob476 on September 20, 2011, 09:13:55 AM
It's not that surprising actually. I'd say Fran and I do between 30-50 in a normal day, we rarely actually call each other. I think Fran used 3 minutes of voice time on her iPhone last month. Her phone is temporarily lost (she left it at a bar but the staff found it) and we're all messed up. You don't realize how much you depend on the thing!
So it was HER that 'lost' that iPhone5 prototype!! :)

Haha I wish, I just hope they get it back to her soon! I've been waiting for the bar manager to call all day! I'd rather not have to replace it while still on contract.

Rico · September 20, 2011, 03:05:59 PM

A big day for me would be about ten texts in one day - lol!

ElfManDan · September 20, 2011, 03:36:37 PM

I've texted at the most ever maybe 50 in one day. A heavy day of texting for me is usually 20. My usual daily is maybe 5 and usually it's "Where we meeting?", "At the gym" "Lunch?", "Panda Express!", "K".

I know people who do text a lot so I can believe it, but I'm not one of them. I prefer Facebook chat or Skype or actually seeing people. As someone in the age category it's not always true.

Geekyfanboy · September 20, 2011, 03:46:44 PM

Well if we are including tweets and such and just talking about sending.. than I hit about 25 to 30 a day

turtlesrock · September 20, 2011, 04:29:35 PM

i've never sent a text message in my life! but i can safely say i know people who do send that many texts a day.