alstin communications

I recently received my AT&T cell phone bill and was shocked to learn I sent over 240 text messages last month. I wouldn’t consider myself a ‘heavy texter’ like my younger sister (who is 23 and constantly ‘thumbing’ communications & laughing at her iPhone). My phone plan cap was at 200 so I had to buck up for my extra key punching. So, after calling AT&T and upping my 200 limit to 1500 texts for an additional $4.00 (I think), I started to wonder (after declining the unlimited plan at $15/month.) just how many texts does the average user send?

I found the article written by Hope Yen on December 16^th in the Philadelphia Inquirer:

• Americans sent more than 110 billion text messages last December, double the number in the last month of 2007, as the short hand communication becomes a popular alternative to cell-phone calls.
• The nation’s 270 million cell-phone subscribers each sent an average of 407 text messages in December 2008, according to government statistics released yesterday by the Census Bureau. That’s more than double the 188 messages sent by the average cell subcriber in Deceber 2007.

“We are seeing a clear trend of huge increases in text messaging, “ said Amanda Lenhart, senior research specialist at the Pew Internet and American Life Project. “If teens are a leader for America, then we are moving to a text-based communication system. For them, there is less interest in talking.”

Her research found that the average teen now sends more than 2,000 text messages per month. About two-thirds of all teens use text messaging, mostly because of its simplicity as well as the privacy of being able to communicate without being overheard.

Lenhart predicted that texting would keep growing as parents begin using it as an easy way to reach their children.

At the same time, the average length of a cell-phone call declined last year to 2.3 minutes. That’s the shortest chat time since the 1990s, before mobile devices and cheap calling plans became widely available to everyday consumers.  The peak talk time came in 2004, when a a caller on average chatted for 3.05 minutes.

All of these stats remind me of a skit that Robin Williams does in his latest (HBO) comedy special “Weapons of Self Destruction” where he talks about Twitter ‘going down’ and everyone was freaking out about what to do with their thumbs!??! And he spoofs on a Dad re-introducing himself to his child, “Hi! I’m Dad!” LOL!

So, the bottom line: we’re evolving into a society where texting someone is more ‘efficient’ than calling them—leaving a voice mail or actually ‘connecting’ is becoming pointless.

Since when has communication been all about efficiency? Is it really that hard to push a few buttons on your phone to retrieve a voice mail? Is it really that hard to make a connection via cell towers and wireless technology? What’s wrong with talking ‘face to face?’ and rambling on about a story and reminiscing about the past and laughing out loud – for REAL. Well…a lot I guess. I’ve been there. Done that. Case in point: my mom calls, I ‘ignore it’ (this capability is another blog post all together that relates specifically to dating and the calamities of being single in today’s world, but I digress…). My mom leaves a voicemail. Instead of listening to it, I just text her…’what’s up? Just chking in…” and so the text ‘dialogue’ begins and the voice mail gets deleted.

So, what’s my point? Texting is the new communication vehicle. How does this affect how I work and how I interact with my clients and projects? So far, not too much. However, it will (eventually) change how employers engage and connect with potential applicants. And, I’m sure I’ll be exchanging text messages vs. emails with clients very soon…2010?

So, for now…ttyl cu n 2010

Author Bio:  Jennifer Greenfield, Director, Interactive Services, seems to have coffee, not mortal blood, running through her veins. Juggling her bags (laptop, spinning stuff, cool purse, projector) and array of web-based duties with professionalism, composure and a random assortment of funny faces, Jen, has been with Alstin for more than 13 years, lives and breathes the 'net.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 9:25 am and is filed under The Daily Update. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.