Ref:  28/00
Date: 26 April 2000

Ownership of both fixed and mobile telephones continues to rise, a new survey published today by Oftel reveals.

Key points of the survey are:

• Over 97 per cent of the UK population have access to either a fixed or mobile phone.

• Over one million people own a mobile phone instead of a fixed line phone, because they prefer their flexibility, ability to be contactable at all times, and ease of budgeting using prepaid vouchers

• 2.3 million people live in homes without a fixed line telephone.

David Edmonds, Director General Telecommunications said today:

"Today’s survey shows that a significant and growing number of people prefer to use a mobile phone in preference to a fixed line telephone. People find a mobile phone more convenient and flexible, and are able to control their usage through prepaid vouchers.

"However, there is still an important minority of people that cannot afford either a fixed or mobile phone. Payphones are an alternative way of controlling costs, but less satisfactory in terms of their availability, location and accessibility.

"Oftel’s Universal Service Obligation has an important role to play in addressing their needs, through the provision of special low income and usage schemes by BT and Kingston and a comprehensive network of public payphones.

"Oftel must ensure that all consumers have proper access to telephony services. I will shortly publish a consultative document on the Universal Service Obligation that will include a review of the effectiveness of these schemes. This survey will help contribute to this work."

Independent surveys were undertaken by Ipsos-RSL and Ulster Marketing Surveys (Northern Ireland) during March 2000. The quantitative surveys were supplemented by a series of in-depth interviews undertaken by BMRB. A full report of the findings may be found on Oftel’s website at www.oftel.gov.uk under consumer advice/consumer research and initiatives/2000 research.

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