May 11, 2009 06:00 ET

A New Kind of Phone Booth

iGR Finds That Forty-Two Percent of U.S. Consumers Use Their Mobile Phones in Restrooms

AUSTIN, Texas --(Business Wire)-- May 11, 2009 iGR, a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry, today announced the findings of a recent study on the locations in which consumers use their mobile phones. The survey, open to 18 to 65 year old consumers, asked respondents to specify the places they had used their mobile phones to make calls and send text messages in the past month.

The survey results indicate that just over 42 percent of U.S. consumers use their mobile phones to make calls while in restrooms. The same percentage sends text messages while in restrooms. Restaurants are also popular places to use mobile phones – 70 percent of the consumers surveyed have made calls on their mobile phones in a restaurant while eating, and 73 percent have sent text messages while eating in a restaurant.

iGR found that 18 to 34 year olds, and especially 18 to 24 year olds, are more likely than their older counterparts to make calls and send texts both in restrooms and while eating in restaurants. Eighteen to 24 year olds are 38 percent more likely to make calls and 66 percent more likely to send text messages while in the restroom than the average consumer.

iGR also found that women are eight percent more likely than the average consumer to make calls and five percent more likely to send text messages while in the restroom. The female half of the population is also four percent more likely to make calls and seven percent more likely to send text messages while eating in restaurants.

The survey was conducted among 1,000 mobile handset users in the U.S. at the end of April, 2009.

About iGR

iGR, formerly iGillottResearch Inc., is a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry. Founded by Iain Gillott, one of the wireless industry's leading analysts, we research and analyze the impact new wireless and mobile technologies will have on the industry, on vendors' competitive positioning, and on our clients' strategic business plans.

A more complete profile of the company can be found at www.igr-inc.com.

iGR
Iain Gillott, 512-263-5682
iain@igr-inc.com