Ten ways an SMS is better than a phone call

1. An SMS can keep you awake: Anybody who has had to sit through a boring meeting will agree that texting is one way to keep you from dozing off.

2. Convenience: Sending a message that says ‘Please sms details' is far better than calling up the person in question, jotting down all the info...

3. It's all saved: What if you miss out an important piece of news/detail during the call? With an SMS you can refer to it at any time.

4. They're short and sweet: Thanks to emoticons, you don't have to spend time thinking up smart lines.

5. Your reputation is kept intact: Not including any niceties won't be considered a lack of etiquette.

6. They're great for when the cat's got your tongue: Texting is just the thing for those who end up tongue-tied, particularly when discussing matters of the heart.

7. An SMS saves time: Don't have the time or the inclination to enquire about her health, her granny's condition, her pet, the weather...? Just text your query.

8. An SMS keeps secrets: Imagine you are at a party and have seen/heard something you simply must tell your BFF. Would you make a telephone call and risk somebody eavesdropping?

9. For those tricky times: Suppose you are at said party (when you should be at home) where there's loud music, laughter... and you receive a phone call from you-know-who. Would you take the call or reject it and dash off a text message with an excuse for being late?

10. They use less credit: Have a lot of news to share with your friend but don't have sufficient credit in your phone? Send her a cryptic enigmatic message and you can rest assured she will call you to get all the juicy details.