Irish mobile users sent 8bn texts in 2007

Mobile phone users in Ireland sent a massive eight billion text messages last year, new figures show.

The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) today published its quarterly report for the fourth quarter of 2007, which revealed some 7.58 billion texts were sent during the year - 2.12 billion in the last three months alone.

The report also reveals mobile phone penetration was 116 per cent - more than one phone per head of population.

There were over five million mobile phone subscribers by the year end and mobile subscriptions increased by 77,000 in the last quarter of 2007.

Broadband subscriptions increased by 11.7 per cent in the last three months. There were 886,300 broadband customers by the end of the year.

Revenue generated by the communications market in quarter four was €1.14 billion, with total turnover of €4.56 billion, ComReg said.

Just 20.54 per cent of people have access to broadband and, if mobile broadband is excluded, the penetration rate falls to 17.58 per cent.

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan said the report shows broadband growth is up 44 per cent in just three months, while total broadband take-up has increased by almost 12 per cent.

"When international statistics are next published, Ireland will have moved up the league-table, with a total of over 886,000 subscribers to broadband services," he said.

Mr Ryan said the forthcoming National Broadband Scheme will, from July, bring broadband services to the remaining parts of the country that currently have limited, or no access.