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Number of Mobile Calls Drops For the First Time (bbc.com)

Posted by msmash on from the times,-they-are-changin' dept.

The number of voice calls made on mobile phones in the UK fell for the first time ever in 2017 -- despite the fact we seem hooked on our devices. From a report: That is according to the latest report from telecoms regulator Ofcom, which charts what it describes as a decade of digital dependence. A total of 78% of all adults now own a smartphone. On average, people check them once every 12 minutes during their waking hours, the study claims. Two in five adults look at their phone within five minutes of waking, while a third check their phones just before falling asleep, according to the report. A high percentage (71%) say they never turn off their phones and 78% say they could not live without it.

7 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. Need a better word than "smartphone" by sjbe · · Score: 3, Informative

    The number of voice calls made on mobile phones in the UK fell for the first time ever in 2017 -- despite the fact we seem hooked on our devices.

    Why should this be surprising? Smartphones are really not primarily phones and they facilitate a wide variety of forms of communication. Smartphones really should be called something else because they really are handheld computers that just happen to be able to make calls as one of their added features. If you are anything like me the phone capability accounts for 1-2% of the actual use of the device.

  2. Entirely spam calls by sinij · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think 95% or more of calls to my cell are spam. Why would I answer the phone with such odds?

  3. Data contract by Teun · · Score: 2

    I've got a cheap data contract and use Signal.

    --
    "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
  4. Due to spam calls my ringer is permanently off by Hadlock · · Score: 2

    The number of legit voice calls I get is almost zero. The only reason I have a phone number at this point is to call my bank, and some types of SMS 2FA that don't support google authenticator or yubi keys yet.
     
    Also for WhatsApp. You need to have a phone number to use WhatsApp. This is probably my most important use, as I use WhatsApp for all my voice/video calls these days. Number of voice calls I make and/or receive in a month can be counted on one hand.

    --
    moox. for a new generation.
    1. Re:Due to spam calls my ringer is permanently off by XXongo · · Score: 2
      I don't use WhatsAp, and I use other means for 2FA.

      And I still get several spam calls per day.

  5. Does VoIP count? by TheCastro1689 · · Score: 2

    Or FaceTime or whatever app they're using for calls and video chat that aren't technically phone calls?

  6. What's wrong with people? by devslash0 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I hardly ever check my phone while at work. Not because I can't but because I don't feel the temptation to do so. I opted out of social media a few years ago so I only use my phone when I need to, for important stuff. I've just put logcat to work and discovered that I checked (woke up) my phone only 5 times today.

    1. In the morning (silencing the alarm clock)
    2. At 8:50am (fetching 2FA codes for the day)
    3. At 12:52pm (news while chewing on my sandwich)
    4. At 6:32pm (at the gym, logging my progress)
    5. At 7:51pm (stopwatch while cooking)

    I also get no nuisance calls. I only give my number to friends and use a burner phone for everything else.