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A.O.B.
Mobile movers and shakers
Published: 06 December 2011
It would be about twenty or so years ago when cellphones (mobiles to we Brits) were still weighty and sizeable. True, they were not quite as big as the first generation – about the size of a brick – but bulky and chunky all the same. Over in London town for a big international corporate communications conference, a friend from Noo Yawk remarked that he had never seen so many people using cellphones as he had in London. That observation threw me slightly given that at that time in the USA, and the Big Apple in particular, it seemed like just about everyone had a mobile.
Sitting in a small café in the City (London financial district) the other day I was reminded of my American chum’s remark. To the left and to the right as they rushed by the café doorway, at least two thirds of the people passing by were either speaking into their mobile ‘phones or bent over their keypads, narrowly avoiding people walking in the opposite direction, and busily sending text messages. (Please note, I refuse to use the word ‘texting’ – and never ever ‘texted’ – on the basis that to me a ‘ text’ will always be a noun).
But what on earth were those busy people talking or sending messages about in the late afternoon? What was so vitally important that they needed to speak or send messages as they rushed from office to office or office to bus stop or train station? For heavens sake, people survived and coped perfectly well in that relatively innocent, pre-cellphone era without having to telephone friends and colleagues at every available opportunity. But, like everything else in today’s technology driven world, there appears to be an overwhelming desire need to communicate with others be it while walking along the pavement, on the bus or on the train.
Apple, Google, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, and the rest must be delighted.
But here’s the thing. According to a study published by Ofcom. ofcom.org.uk, the UK telecoms regulator, more than nine in ten adults in Britain now own at least one handset, while many own two or three.More than one in seven households rely entirely on mobiles and have dispensed with a fixed line for making calls. A spokesman for comparison website, uSwitch.com said that there were 76.4 million active mobile connections in March this year compared with a population of 62 million. Saturation level approaching?
My American friend was spot on with his observation.
Peter Hill is a Partner of The Governance Partnership