SMS surge is good news for business

Growth in mobile messaging can bring opportunities, says study

Around 25 million text messages are sent in the UK each day

UK mobile phone users send some 25 million text messages each day, a trend that is set to continue and generate opportunities for businesses, according to research.

The study carried out by Airwide Solutions shows that the number of people sending text messages across the European Union is growing by 3.3 per cent a year. The growth is driven by people with a yearly income of over £30,000, a category which has seen SMS use increase 16.9 per cent year on year.

The study predicts that the growth in SMS use will cause a continued uptake in mobile marketing and advertising in 2009, including initiatives such as location-based mobile advertising.

However, as the volume of messaging increases, mobile operators need to protect their networks and subscribers from potential security threats such as mobile fraud, spam and viruses, says the study.

Messaging has become a powerful ally in helping businesses boost their revenues. Pizza delivery group Domino's, for example, has enjoyed positive financial performance amid the financial gloom in 2008 due to the introduction of a series of digital multi-channel retail platforms, including the launch of SMS ordering.

And UK banks have started to charge customers services offered via SMS, a facility that was offered for free until the introduction of mobile banking in 2007.