41% of Americans Use Their Cell Phone to Kill Time

[Kris Kumar]

http://www.cellular-news.com/story/16810.php

"The cell phone has become an integral and, for some, essential communications tool that has helped owners gain help in emergencies. Fully 74% of the Americans who own mobile phones say they have used their hand-held device in an emergency and gained valuable help. Another striking impact of mobile technology is that Americans are using their cell phones to shift they way they spend their time. Some 41% of cell phone owners say they fill in free time when they are traveling or waiting for someone by making phone calls. And 44% say they wait to make most of their cell calls for the hours when they do not count against their "anytime" minutes in their basic calling plan."

Here are some of the highlights of this report:
• Only 8% of cell phone owners who have email access use their cell phones for email and 24% would like to have or use this feature
• 14% of owners who have Internet access use the feature to surf the Internet
• 41% fill in free time while traveling or waiting for someone by making phone calls
• 44% wait for the night and weekend hours to make the phone calls ;-)
• 28% admitted that the cell phone is a distraction while driving
• 86% was irritated at least occasionally by loud and annoying cell users in public places, 8% admitted of being guilty of being the culprit
• 36% have been shocked by their monthly bills from time to time
The complete report can be viewed over here">http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Cell_phone_study.pdf]here. [PDF]

[Kris Kumar]

http://www.cellular-news.com/story/16810.php

"The cell phone has become an integral and, for some, essential communications tool that has helped owners gain help in emergencies. Fully 74% of the Americans who own mobile phones say they have used their hand-held device in an emergency and gained valuable help. Another striking impact of mobile technology is that Americans are using their cell phones to shift they way they spend their time. Some 41% of cell phone owners say they fill in free time when they are traveling or waiting for someone by making phone calls. And 44% say they wait to make most of their cell calls for the hours when they do not count against their "anytime" minutes in their basic calling plan."

Here are some of the highlights of this report:
• Only 8% of cell phone owners who have email access use their cell phones for email and 24% would like to have or use this feature
• 14% of owners who have Internet access use the feature to surf the Internet
• 41% fill in free time while traveling or waiting for someone by making phone calls
• 44% wait for the night and weekend hours to make the phone calls ;-)
• 28% admitted that the cell phone is a distraction while driving
• 86% was irritated at least occasionally by loud and annoying cell users in public places, 8% admitted of being guilty of being the culprit
• 36% have been shocked by their monthly bills from time to time
The complete report can be viewed over here">http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Cell_phone_study.pdf]here. [PDF]

[Mike Temporale]

Those are some interesting facts. I know that I have never been shocked by my bill. My wife has, but not me. :lol:

[randalllewis]

I've used the mobile for emergencies and I have driven while talking both with and without my Bluetooth headset. I don't even take the phone into a theater and I am annoyed at people who do (but I don't want them automatically disabled either). I do not time my calls to certain hours because I have a very generous plan.

I was interested that there was no listing for killing time while surfing the web or playing games on the phone. I do a lot of this while waiting for trains and planes and in boring meetings.