Heeding a trendy call

Mobile phones fit the world in your palm and spawn a culture of staying in touch with near and dear ones in a smart way.

The world is shrinking. Put it down to techno tools, such as cellphones and computers, which have helped global levels of communication reach unparalleled heights.

Today, staying in touch with family and friends who are thousands of miles away is made easier with gadgets barely the size of your palm.

With a penetration rate of over 140 per cent, the UAE is now seen as an international case study in personal connectivity, says Ahmad Bin Ali, vice-president of corporate communications, etisalat.

More than a quarter-million people subscribed to the company's services in the first quarter of 2007. This indicates that a number of users prefer to have two cellphones — for reasons such as keeping their business and personal lives separate.

"The ease of staying in touch through a cellphone, whether through a call or SMS or MMS, has touched every person in the UAE," Bin Ali says.

He added that the growing popularity of text messaging is linked to user-friendliness and the quality of service offered.

Youth culture

Osman Sultan, CEO of du, also says that text messages are especially popular with the youth as it is intuitive and easy to use.

"In the UK, for example, monthly text messaging figures exceed 4.5 billion messages," Sultan says.

He says such services are used for promoting humanitarian causes. The company found that out during Ramadan when it sent 18 fils of the first SMS of the day sent by a du customer to Red Crescent.

"Text messaging in the UAE, as with the rest of the world, is extremely popular not only [because] it is quick and simple to use but also [because] unlike a telephone or internet connection, it is mobile and can be used anytime and at any place," Bin Ali says.

The younger generation is more "tech savvy" and is more proficient at sending text messages. They are also buying into other technological advancements, such as e-businesses and wireless communications.

Bin Ali believes this happened as the generation in question was at a receptive age while such communication breakthroughs were rapidly coming up.

"Each generation has laid claims to certain technologies that it calls its own, but it is the [present] generation that can claim [knowledge of] some of the most advanced and popularly used technological conveniences around," Bin Ali says.

And, like with all other pioneering ventures, a new lingo too developed and is used. This is evident in the way SMSes are worded.

"The new language has gained popularity and a lot of regular messaging users are familiar with the short codes for common words," Bin Ali says.

Using abbreviated words in a message saves time and space, allowing the user to write as much as possible.

Others, though, just view it as a cool way of communicating.
Nadine Salem, director of marketing MEA for i-mate emphasised the importance of text messaging in our everyday lives — paving the way for quick communication, similar to e-mail.

Revealing figures

"A recent Portio Research stated that SMS growth will "continue to confound predictions" with global SMS revenues expected to reach $67 billion (Dh246 billion) by 2012, driven by 3.7 trillion messages," Salem says.

These figures reveal the significance consumers place on this particular form of communication.

As technology develops, so do the demands of each consumer. Individuals enjoy services that can meet their particular demands, as mobile tools are increasingly becoming the most personal consumer device.

Today, two "must-have" features are WiFi and GPS, which help users find their way in unfamiliar areas.

"Technology has upped the pace at which we work," Salem says, adding, "Today, we are constantly contactable, which means accessibility is no longer an issue."

Sultan says trends include replacing fixed-line phones with cellphones and complete multimedia devices, which is commonly known as fixed-mobile substitution. This allows the consumer to use the phone as an audio-visual tool, where users can view versions of TV episodes specially made for the mobile — a service du already offers.

"There is also much anticipation of Google's gPhone, which is planned for delivery during the first half of 2008," Sultan says. The gPhone will contain all of Google's services.

In the meantime, products such as the i-mate Ultimate range — which offer an XGA direct video output — allow users to directly link their device to a TV screen.

Such services are an indication of the high demand for technological developments to successfully meet business demands and leisure needs.