Text messages up 25 percent in a year

LONDON (Reuters) - Britons are sending around 1.2 billion text messages a week, 25 percent more than a year ago, according to the Mobile Data Association (MDA).

The MDA said texters sent almost 5 billion messages during September -- five times more than in the whole of 1999 -- from 69 million registered handsets.

MDA Chairman Mike Short said more businesses were turning to mobiles while the cost of messaging was falling.

"The UK text volumes show no real signs of abating and the UK sits within the top six of the global league of countries sending text messages," he said in a statement.

"While the trend towards operators offering 'all-you-can-eat' tariffs increases, this will act as a catalyst for consumers' passion for all things mobile."