NOP's M-Kids outlines Youth and Mobiles

Just over half of today's 7 to 16 year olds in the UK are proud owners of the ultimate 'must have' accessory, the mobile phone. In consequence, handset upgrades are becoming ever more common. This is the main finding of a new survey from NOP World.

In a lucrative UK market estimated at £500 million per annum, a quarter (24%) of young mobile phone owners are now on at least their third handset. In keeping with the way in which their mobile handset communicates who they are to the outside world, 46% have changed the cover of their mobile handset and 45% have changed their ring tone.

NOP judges that mobile phone penetration is now at the near-saturation level of 82% of 14 to 16-year-olds. Surprisingly, penetration is also high at 23% among the youngest group surveyed (7 to 10s).

NOP believes that other findings also represent a challenge for network operators. In this sense, the operators need to find services that will appeal to the youth market generally, as take-up of text alerts (16%), information services (12%) and WAP usage (5%) are very low indeed.

The survey has also found that children appear fairly oblivious to the discussion about health issues. Their concern is more focused on having their handset stolen rather than the effect on their health.

Colin Strong, director of mobile research at NOP, commented 'The focus for kids is on the hardware rather than the range of new services that network operators have been launching. Although network operators do not market to this group their usage of services is a useful barometer for their attractiveness both now and longer term.'

Linda Smith, head of family research at NOP, added 'For kids the mobile phone is a real status symbol that says so much about themselves. It is a potent signifier of their identity and their social standing based on the make and model of the handset.'

The latest M-kids survey results are now available from NOP at a cost of £3,500. This is the first wave findings of a research programme that is due to be undertaken twice a year. The results are based on interviews with 1,000 children interviewed in August 2001, as well as from the findings of four discussion groups with children.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.