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Mobiles — always on, but users admit they're not always honest

A public annoyance, an emergency tool and a driving distraction– these are the main findings in a new national US survey of mobile phone users that provides a detailed picture of the role of the hand-held devices as an integral communications tool in modern life.

Eighty two per cent of all Americans and 86 per cent of mobile phone users report being irritated at least occasionally by loud and annoying mobile users, who conduct their calls in public places.

Seventy four per cent of Americans who own mobile phones say they used in an emergency and gained valuable help. But 32 per cent of men and 25 per cent of women admit they use the phone on the road and they sometimes don’t drive as safely as they should.

Some of the features Americans would like to add to their mobile phones include:

• Forty seven per cent say they would like maps.

• Twenty four per cent say they would like to use their phones to conduct searches for services such as movie listings, weather reports and stock reports.

• Twenty four per cent would like to add email to their mobile phone functionality.

• Thirty five per cent already use text messaging features and another 13 per cent would like to add that capacity.

• Nineteen per cent of mobile phone owners say they would like to add the capacity to take still pictures.

In the survey, users also describe how they use their mobile phones:

• Fifty two per cent of owners say they keep their mobile phone on all the time.

• Eighty one per cent of users say the device is always on.

• Twenty two per cent say they are not always truthful about exactly where they are when they are on the phone.

• Thirty nine per cent aged 18-29 are not always honest about where they say they are.

• Twenty four per cent of mobile-using adults report they often feel like they have to answer their phones even when it interrupts a meeting or a meal.

• Twenty two per cent believe that “too many” people try to get in touch with them because others know they have a mobile phone.

And finally, 23 per cent of those who currently have landline phones say they are very likely or somewhat likely to convert to being only mobile phone users.

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