Phone Text Messages Growing in Popularity

Costa Ricans on average send 3.4 million cell phone text messages each day,  according to the Costa Rican Electricity and Telecom Institute (ICE),  the daily reported.

Text messages are short messages of up to 160 characters that are typed into cell phones using the number/letter keys and then send to other cell phone users.

According to ICE,  text messaging is especially popular among young users.

On average,  each of Costa Rica’s approximately 800,000 cell phone users sends 4.1 messages each day.

The increase in the number of people using text messages is part of worldwide trend,  according to Claudio Bermúdez,  acting sub-manager of telecommunications for ICE. He cited the low cost of text messaging as the main reason behind its popularity.

Text messages cost ¢1.5 to send. Cell phone calls cost between ¢23 (0.06) and ¢30 (0.07) per minute.

Text messaging generates 1.5% ICE’s cell phone revenues,  or about ¢4 million ( $9000) a day. This amount is low compared to international telephone operators.

Text messages generate approximately 15% of European cell phone revenues,  according to Bermúdez.

The Tico Times /09 Julio, 2005.