News 2002
How to Practise Safe Text
25/02/2002
- 1.4 billion text messages sent in Britain in January
- Virgin Mobile launches new 'TMI' text message safety campaign
- RSI Association welcomes consumer guidelines
It is official: Britain is a nation of text addicts! New figures released today by the Mobile Data Association reveal that our national obsession with text messaging is on the increase. To avoid the risk of developing some less than welcome side-effects brought about by the most avid texters, Virgin Mobile has today launched a campaign to offer a little textual healing. Its 'How to Practice Safe Text' campaign has been developed in association with the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) and the RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) Association. It aims to teach text addicts how to safely sustain their SMS speed, without damaging their digits, and thereby suffering from what Virgin Mobile calls 'TMI' (Text Message Injury).
The number of text messages sent by Britain's mobile phone users is staggering, and the statistics released today by the Mobile Data Association (MDA) show that the rate of growth continues to rocket. Today in Britain we send over 45 million SMS text messages per day, or 1.4 billion a month. This demonstrates an increase of three million more per day than were sent in December 2001, and a 55% increase since January 2000, when 900 million were sent. 12.2 billion text messages were sent in the UK in 2001, which represents a 100% increase on last year's total. The busiest day of the year in terms of text messaging activity was New Year's Eve, with a whopping 64 million New Year's greetings being recorded in the three hours between midnight and 3am on January 1st 2002.
As this rate of growth continues, experts are concerned that consumers may be putting themselves in danger of digital damage. Just as computer users can be susceptible to RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury*), according to the BCA and the RSI Association our nation of 'textaholics' could soon be suffering from TMI. Virgin Mobile, in association with the BCA, has put together a series of simple 'textercises' designed to help mobile users avoid text message injuries. Ranging from a simple shoulder shrug, to a finger spread and neck muscle stretch, the 'textercises' are appropriate for users both before and after texting, and should help avoid the aches and cramps bought about by over-zealous texters.
Virgin Mobile has also produced a special 'texterciser' hand and finger exerciser to further assist those customers worried about TMI, and a list of top ten texting tips. The texting tips are designed to help in the prevention of TMI, but can also guard against the more unpredictable consequences of rapid texting, whether they are physical, emotional or social!
Tom Alexander, managing director of Virgin Mobile, said: "By launching the 'How to Practice Safe Text' campaign, we are offering customers a possible remedy to a potentially serious issue. We would like to make our customers aware that aches in the fingers can be alleviated by some simple exercises, so that they can continue to text to their heart's content - safely!"
Matthew Bennett, a BCA spokesperson adds: "BCA chiropractors recognise that text messaging regularly, over a long period of time, could cause repetitive strain and lead to injuries later in life. With text messaging on the increase, it is likely to remain a popular form of communication for a long time to come and we applaud Virgin Mobile's efforts to prevent TMI."
Andrew Chadwick, Chief Executive of the RSI Association, continues: "We at the RSI Association welcome the 'Practice Safe Text' campaign, and are delighted that Virgin Mobile is bringing this issue to the attention of its customers. Through highlighting the risks and raising awareness of the consequences, injuries from texting (as with other RSI conditions) can be prevented, so we are delighted more attention is being drawn to this increasingly common issue. Blood flow is a key to avoiding injury when texting and Virgin Mobile's textercisers should be a great help."
Mobile users keen to find out more about TMI should log onto www.virgin.com/mobile. A limited supply of Virgin Mobile's unique textercisers will also be made available and can be sent to those that register on the website free of charge.
*People who start to experience pain in the fingers, hands or arms, should contact the RSI Association by calling the Freephone Helpline open 11.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday, Wednesday, Friday on 0800 018 5012 or by logging onto www.rsi.org.uk
Notes to Editors
For further information please contact:
Press office on 0845 600 6272 or pressoffice@virginmobile.com
Alison Bonny - 07802 430 276
Joanne Baker - 07941 2333 00
Sasha Bradbury - 0207 208 2708
Julia Clark - 0207 2082359
BCA press enquiries: Julie Doyle/Kate Prest, Icas PR - tel: 020 76322400 fax: 020 72402520
British Chiropractic Association, Tel: 0118 950 5950, Web site: www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk.
About Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile is now established as the most successful virtual network operator in the world, and is the UK's fifth network. Since its launch in November 1999 it has attracted over 1.5 million customers, making it one of the fastest growing mobile phone companies in history.
Virgin Mobile is a 50:50 joint venture company between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Deutsche Telekom's One 2 One, and is the UK's first mobile virtual operator.
It has scored a number of firsts, including being the first operator to scrap peak rate calls, introduce a daily discounting tariff, the first company in the world to introduce an integrated MP3 mobile phone and the first company to offer all of its customers a content-rich voice portal with the launch of its 4321 service.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com; or on the High Street at over 5,000 outlets including Virgin Megastore, Our Price, V.SHOP, Sainsbury, Tesco, Safeway, Kwik Save, Jungle.com, WH Smith, Co-op, Asda, John Lewis, Littlewoods, Morrisons, Argos, The Link, Dixons and Carphone Warehouse.
