Research from UK communications regulator Ofcom shows that, for the first time, residents of the United Kingdom are more likely to send text messages than to make phone calls.
Ofcom’s annual Communications Market Report, published on Wednesday, found that 58% of UK residents send a text message every day, while only 47% make a daily phone call. This is the first year that daily call figures — across both fixed and mobile lines — have declined, suggesting a notable shift in how people communicate.
The change is most pronounced among 16- to 24-year-olds. Ofcom notes that teenagers and young adults are increasingly interacting with family and friends online and via text, even though many say they still prefer face-to-face conversations.
On average, people in Britain now send about 50 text messages per week, roughly double the number sent four years earlier. That increase tracks with rising smartphone adoption: 39% of UK adults now own a smartphone, up 12 percentage points since 2010. Nearly half of those smartphone owners say their device is the primary way they access the internet.
One notable retail trend is the emergence of “robo” shoppers — consumers who research products offline but complete purchases online. This behavior highlights how mobile internet access and texting are reshaping buying habits as well as social interaction.
James Thickett, Ofcom’s director of research, commented: “Our research reveals that in just a few short years, new technology has fundamentally changed the way that we communicate. Talking face to face or on the phone are no longer the most common ways for us to interact with each other.”
Will “turfing” become the next Smart TV buzzword?
The report also examined Smart TV usage and related trends. About 5% of UK households now own a Smart TV, and the typical household possesses three internet-capable devices on average — from laptops and game consoles to an increasing number of internet-enabled televisions.
Ofcom used the term “turfing” to describe viewers who watch television while simultaneously surfing the internet. Whether that term takes hold remains to be seen.
How does this compare with global trends?
The UK findings align with broader international shifts toward text-based communication. A US study last year found that nearly one-third of American adults prefer to be contacted by text rather than by phone. In that study, 31% of respondents favored texting, 51% preferred calling, and 14% said their preference depended on the situation.
Smartphone ownership in the US is likewise high and rising. A comScore report from April indicated that 107 million Americans owned a smartphone, an increase of 6% since the start of the year.
Other US research highlights the sheer volume of text traffic. Among the 72% of American cell phone users who text, one quarter send and receive between 11 and 50 texts per day. Four percent of texters report exchanging more than 200 messages daily — more than 6,000 a month.
Studies have also explored the practical benefits of text messaging beyond social use. Research compiled by OnlineCollegeCourses.com highlights a range of health and behavioral advantages: for example, a Center for Connected Health program that sent sunscreen reminders by text saw adherence rates nearly double, and another texting program helping people with depression increased mood-tracking and engagement, with three quarters of participants wanting to continue receiving messages after the study concluded.
Text messaging’s strengths include immediacy and ubiquity, low cost, and minimal resource requirements. These features make texting an effective channel for reminders, brief interventions, and quick communications.
The evidence points to texting becoming the default mode of communication for many mobile users, aided by increased smartphone adoption and easier text entry through QWERTY keyboards and intuitive touchscreens. The shift raises questions for mobile service providers: which offers better long-term opportunities — traditional voice calls or text-based, data-driven services? Carriers and service developers must weigh revenue models, user preferences, and the growing role of internet-based messaging when planning future offerings.