Are Cellphones Used More for Data Transfer or Voice Calls?

As cell phones become more like computers than telephones, they are being used more for data transfers than phone calls. Data transfers includes Web browsing, e-mail, video streaming and text messaging, among other things. In 2009, the number of text messages users sent increased by 50 percent, and for the first time, the data transfers beat out the voice data use.

More Mobile Facts:

• In the US, 90 percent of households report having a cell phone — 68.2 percent of the world's population owns a cell phone.


• 4.7 billion cell phone subscriptions were reported globally in 2009 — 90 percent of the world's population has access to provider coverage.


• In the US, people, on average, have three expired cell phones, and only uses a cell phone for a year to 18 months before replacing it.