New research from
Sprint confirms that the under-30 crowd is definitely texting
in mass, and they're driving their parents to
text, too. The number of adults who are texting has risen from two
years ago, when a 2006 Pew Research study cited that 13 percent of
adults ages 50-64 used the text messaging function on their mobile
phone. The Sprint study reveals that now 20 percent of adults ages 55-64
send text messages.
According to a survey
conducted by Opinion Research Corp. (ORC), a text is far more likely to
elicit a quick response than voice mail. In fact, those under the age of
30 are four times more likely to respond within minutes to a text
message compared to a voice mail, and 91 percent respond to a text
message within one hour. Adults 30 and older are also quick to text --
and are twice as likely to respond within minutes to a text message as
compared to a voice message.
Other key findings from the research include:
-
With the exception of ages 65+, all age groups are more likely to
respond to a text message more quickly than a voice message.
Predictably, among adults under 30 years of age, 78 percent say they
respond immediately or within minutes to a text message. Even 54
percent of 55- to 64-year-olds said they respond to a text message
immediately or in minutes. -
Nearly all (96 percent) of those under 30 who are texting send
messages to their friends, and 51 percent text their parents. The
texting habits of adults ages 55-64 are almost the polar opposite --
76 percent text their kids, but only 56 percent text friends. -
Adults ages 55-64 are three times more likely to text their children
than a co-worker, even though their young co-workers are more likely
to respond to a text message faster than a voice message. -
Texting frequency steadily declines with age. Eighty-five percent of
18- to 24-year-olds surveyed text at least once a day, and 67 percent
text 10 or more times per day, compared to 41 percent of 55- to
64-year-olds who text at least once a day, and 12 percent who send 10
or more messages a day.
Seventy-six percent of adults ages 55-64 who are texting are sending
messages to their children. According to 2007 U.S. Census Bureau data,
57 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds have children ages 18-24. With those
kids away at college or living in different cities, texting is a fast
and efficient way for parents to stay in touch.
"In addition to the increasing number of older
adults texting, we found that one in 10 adults over 30 don't
text because they aren't sure how to,"
said Kim Dixon, senior vice president of retail for Sprint. "For
Sprint customers, learning to text can be easy. Visit your local Sprint
store and see any of our retail associates to experience the Ready Now
difference. They'll sit down and teach you how
to text, send photos or use any of the other features on your wireless
handset or smart phone."
Ready Now helps customers fully realize the benefits of everything the
Now Network(TM) can do for them. In addition,
Sprint offers texting on phones that have the ease of use of the
award-winning One Click wireless user interface. As simple to use as
speed dial, One Click allows users to personalize their home screen and
bring the Now Network right to their fingertips by selecting and
organizing features and content such as text messaging, Google search,
Sprint Navigation, email, favorite Web sites, music, call log and more.
"This research confirms the anecdotal
information we've been hearing from parents:
Their children respond faster to text messages than to voice messages,"
said Dixon. "But, the research also indicates
that children are more likely to get a quick response from their parents
using text messaging. Given the high response rate to 'text
message your children' among parental age
groups (68 percent among 45- to 54-year-olds, 76 percent among 55- to
64-year-olds and 65 percent among those 65 and older), it is pretty
clear that the increasing rate of text adoption in recent years is
fueled by our children altering how we stay in touch with them."
Through Sprint's Ready Now program, Sprint
customers can choose how much or how little they want to learn about any
of the features and applications on their phone. Customers also have a
choice of sitting down with a Sprint retail associate while in the
store, or they can make an appointment for a later time. For additional
customer convenience, Sprint customers have the flexibility to schedule
appointments either in the store, or online via Sprint's
store locator tool. Customers can visit www.sprint.com/readynow
to schedule an appointment and find the closest participating store.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
This data is the result of a telephone survey conducted among a national
probability sample of 2,010 adults, comprising 1,003 men and 1,007
women, 18 years of age and older, living in private households in the
continental United States. Also included was an oversample of 150 18- to
29-year-olds. Interviewing for this CARAVAN(R)
Survey was completed during the periods of Oct. 2-6 and Oct. 9-13.