News 2007
Detoxing mind, body and mobile?
08/01/2007
- Survey reveals that a third of the UK’s mobile phones have up to 36 unknown numbers in their contacts
- UK population cites drunkenness and ad hoc work contacts as their main reasons for adding unidentified numbers to their contacts
- Over 40% of mobile users are likely to delete rogue numbers this January in a new year ‘phone detox‘
08.01.07: After all the indulgence over the Christmas period, thousands of us have been heading to the gym, cutting back on the booze and throwing out the chocolate to start the year afresh. However, new research from Virgin Mobile reveals that it is not just our bodies that are detoxing this month; our mobile phones are getting a good clear out too.
In a poll of over 2,000 people it was found that over a third of all mobile phones in the UK contain numbers that are unknown to their owners with the average user admitting to adding between three and six unidentifiable numbers every month. These results mean that approximately 576 million* unwanted and unknown numbers were added to mobile phones in 2006 alone.
The results revealed that one of the most common times unwanted numbers are added to phones is while people are under the influence of alcohol. According to 15% of Britons, going out to pubs and clubs is a key time for random numbers to be added to their mobiles, with a further 23% saying that making ad hoc work contacts was to blame for unidentified numbers.
Furthermore, the results prove that mobile phonebooks are fast becoming cluttered with unwanted numbers which have no relevance or use to the owner. The survey reveals that over 40% of the population will be deleting all unknown numbers from their phones in a mass new year ‘phone detox’.
Simon Dornan, spokesperson for Virgin Mobile, said: “It is amazing to think that over 570 million unwanted numbers will be erased from our mobile phones in January! We are all guilty of collecting numbers for a plethora of reasons, it might be that you were drunk at a Christmas party and wanted to make a quick escape from an unwanted admirer by agreeing to take their details or perhaps you were just being polite because someone asked for yours. It can also be a simple case of making new work contacts and then forgetting the person’s name and where you met them. January is the perfect time to clear out all the debris from your life including your phone, you will feel liberated afterwards.”
Notes to editors:
*576 million unwanted numbers added in 2006 is based on 40% of the mobile phone owners in the UK (16,000,000) adding 3 unwanted numbers each month – a total of 36 a year. (Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk)
Figures are based on 40 million people owning a mobile phone in the UK.
For more information, please contact:
Henry’s House:
Kate Towey: kate@henryshouse.com or 07734 208981
Richard Tompkins: richard@henryshouse.com or 0207 291 3031
Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile Press Office: 0845 600 6272 or press.office@virginmobile.com
Jo Baker: jo.baker@virginmobile.com or 07941 23300
Simon Dornan: simon.dornan@virginmobile.com or 07847 279666
About Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile is the UK’s largest mobile virtual network operator and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 4 million customers.
Virgin Mobile is part of the ntl:Telewest group. The group is the first to be able to offer `quadruple play’ to customers: mobile and fixed line telephony, broadband internet and television.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.co.uk or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores and selected WHSmiths, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4 U, Currys.digital, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos, Woolworths, Toys R Us, Ryman, web retailer Dial-a-phone plus hundreds of independent mobile phone dealers and available via Shop Direct/Littlewoods, Grattan and Empire home shopping channels.
Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly (contract) is currently available in Virgin Mobile Stores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4u, at concessions in WHSmith and from www.virginmobile.co.uk.
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,700 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough.
Virgin Mobile was voted 22nd in the Best Workplaces in the UK Financial Times survey for 2006.
Virgin Mobile is offering its customers 3p per minute Virgin to Virgin voice calls in the UK until March 31st 2007.
