After conducting a poll of just over 2,000 people, the UK’s leading mobile phone comparison website has found that, on average, consumers look at more mobile phones and deals than they do cars or houses, prior to making a purchase.

A poll commissioned by the UK’s leading mobile phone comparison site has discovered that consumers view more mobile phones and deals than houses and cars before making a purchase.

The study, by www.rightmobilephone.co.uk, of 2,036 people aged 21-35 found that the respondents would look at an average of 5 houses before renting or buying one, whilst when it came to a vehicle, respondents would look at an average of 3 cars before making a purchase.

When it came to mobile phones however, respondents claimed to look at an average of 7 handsets and 9 tariffs before parting with their cash. The aim of the poll by www.rightmobilephone.co.uk was to look into buying habits of Brits and their research before spending habits.

The respondents were asked to give reasons as to why they looked at a certain number of different products before making a purchase and, when it came to mobile phones, 67% felt there was ‘too much choice’ which is what prompted them to looking into their options before committing to a sale.

In terms of properties, with 5 being the number people view on average before renting or buying, 83% felt they only viewed houses they thought they would move into, which limited the number they looked at.

The same could be said for cars, with 71% claiming they knew what vehicle they wanted before the started looking, hence limiting the number they actually looked at.

Neil McHugh, co-founder of rightmobilephone.co.uk, said;

“I’d agree that there is a huge amount of choice out there when it comes to mobile phones and tariffs, but the purpose of our website is to help people pick the right phone for them in a short space of time. With that said, I was still surprised to see that people actually look at more handsets and tariffs than they do houses and cars before buying.”

He continued, “Usually, the more expensive the item, the more time people take over making a decision to buy, but there are obviously a lot of people who are a bit bewildered by the sheer number of handsets and tariffs available, which is causing them to ponder more over their final decision. Hopefully, sites such as rightmobilephone.co.uk can help reduce the amount of time spent searching for a mobile by consumers.”

LINK http://www.rightmobilephone.co.uk

ENDS

For more information, or to arrange interviews with Neil McHugh, please contact Shannon Haigh of 10 Yetis PR Agency on 01452 348211 or email [email protected]
Editors notes

Rightmobilephone.co.uk was launched in November 2007 to help consumers save time and money by providing a trusted comparison platform for customers to purchase from.

The site has become the UK’s most comprehensive and user friendly mobile phone comparison engine, with 600,000+ mobile phone offers combined with user friendly consumer reviews, ratings and video.

Users can review and compare over 800 handsets with images, specifications and video with unique users reviews, opinions and ratings provided by handset owners and compare over 2000 + pay as you go offers and tariffs from all major networks.

Revealing research by the UK’s leading mobile phone comparison website has shown that on average, Brits will send at least 282,000 text messages in a lifetime and spend nearly 8 whole months talking on their phone. The number of texts sent cost the equivalent of a top sports car for pay as you go users.

A nationwide study of 2,038 people in the UK by www.rightmobilephone.co.uk has revealed statistics detailing the amount of time people spend using their mobile on average in a whole lifetime. It was revealed that the average number of texts sent in a month was 500, whilst minutes used totalled 600 in a regular month.

Whilst some children are as young as eight years old when they receive their first mobile phone, the study by rightmobilephone.co.uk found that most believed 13 to be the age at which young people started using their handset properly and regularly, whilst the age at which usage considerably slowed was thought to be 60.

This means that in the 47 years over which the average person actively uses their mobile phone, almost two thirds of a year, 235 days, are spent talking on the phone and 282,000 text messages are sent.

68% of respondents felt they spent more time texting and calling their friends than actually spending time with them and 41% of them felt the same when it came to their partner or love interest. For over half, 54%, their mobile phone was the main means of communication, whilst just under a third, 31%, were more used to staying in touch via Facebook. Only 4% said their main way of communication was face-to-face.

For the 52% of mobile phone owners on pay as you go in the UK, they will spend an average of 0.10p on every text they send, totalling £28,200 over the years in which they actively use their handset; the same amount of money that could pay for a Lotus Elise, 76,216 Mars bars or 61 iPhones.

Neil McHugh, co-founder of rightmobilephone.co.uk, commented on the findings;

“Our latest study really highlights how much time and money we spend communicating; I’m sure it will surprise people and I’m sure most would rather be spending 8 months of their lifetime doing something a little more exciting.

He continued, “I think it can be easy to spend more time on your mobile phone than you need to, especially if you are on contract and have a good deal on texts and minutes, but even so, perhaps 8 months of your lifetime and £28,200 is a little extreme when you consider what that could buy you, a sports car, a round the world trip etc, it’s amazing many of us will be spending that on text messaging instead”

ENDS

10 YETIS JOURNALIST TRIVIA QUIZ:

For a chance to win a prize, be the first to respond with the correct answer to the following question:

Q: What does the common acronym ‘SMS’ actually stand for?

For further information or to set up interviews with Neil McHugh or James Zielinski please contact Shannon Haigh , 10 Yetis PR Agency, [email protected], 01452 348211.

Notes to editors

Rightmobilephone.co.uk was launched in November 2007 to help consumers save time and money by providing a trusted comparison platform for customers to purchase from.

The site has become the UK’s most comprehensive and user friendly mobile phone comparison engine, with 600,000+ mobile phone offers combined with user friendly consumer reviews, ratings and video.

Users can review and compare over 800 handsets with images, specifications and video with unique users reviews, opinions and ratings provided by handset owners and compare over 2000 + pay as you go offers and tariffs from all major networks.

77% of smartphone owners won’t get a proper break from work this Christmas, research by the UK’s leading mobile phone price comparison website has shown.

New research of 1,053 smartphone owners by the UK’s leading mobile phone price comparison website has shown that more than 3 in 4 people claim they will not be able to take a proper break from the office this Christmas, as their Blackberry or iPhone handsets will prevent them from being able to relax completely.

www.rightmobilephone.co.uk discovered that of the 77% who said they will be checking their smartphones over the festive period, two thirds would do it on a daily basis. Other findings of the study included the top reasons why people felt they had to check their emails whilst on holiday.

The most common reason was dedication, with 45% claiming they will keep their smartphone on them at all times in case something important crops up. 26% said checking emails is a habit they are unable to break, while 11% admitted they will be more concerned about impressing their boss in the hope of a New Year promotion or bonus.

Just under half of the respondents, 49%, are predicting that their obsessive smartphone checking will cause a row with family members this Christmas and 58% will be packing their phone charger before taking trips to see friends and relatives.

Rightmobilephone.co.uk has come up with the top five tips for switching off this Christmas;

1. Leave it at home – If you know that you aren’t going to be needed for anything, leave your Smartphone at home when visiting family and friends. If you don’t have it on you, it won’t interfere with your plans.
2. Switch it off – If only for an hour or two, switch your smartphone off to avoid arguments and to have a bit of time to totally relax.
3. Out of office – Set up an auto-response to let people know you’re out of the office. If you don’t get back to them straight away, they won’t start chasing you.
4. Make your absence known – Let colleagues and clients know what days you will not be working, so they are less likely to contact you during your leave.
5. Silence is Golden – Switch your handset to silent, not vibrate or loud mode. If you get a call or an email, you won’t know and won’t be tempted to answer or read it. You might even find you forget that your Blackberry exists… for a minute or two!

Speaking about these latest findings, Neil McHugh, co-founder of rightmobilephone.co.uk commented;

“I wasn’t surprised by the number of people who said they will be checking their smartphones this Christmas. Checking emails is a hard habit to break, especially in the case of the Blackberry when that flashing red light catches your eye!

“Our top five tips will hopefully help people to have a more relaxed Christmas that allows more quality time for family and not clients. I know how difficult it can be to switch off from work when you have a constant reminder in your pocket or bag all day, but for one day of the year at least, people should be able to switch off.”

***ENDS***

For further information or to set up interviews with Neil McHugh or James Zielinski please contact Shannon Haigh , 10 Yetis PR Agency, [email protected], 01452 348211.

Notes to editors

Rightmobilephone.co.uk was launched in November 2007 to help consumers save time and money by providing a trusted comparison platform for customers to purchase from.

The site has become the UK’s most comprehensive and user friendly mobile phone comparison engine, with 600,000+ mobile phone offers combined with user friendly consumer reviews, ratings and video.

Users can review and compare over 800 handsets with images, specifications and video with unique users reviews, opinions and ratings provided by handset owners and compare over 2000 + pay as you go offers and tariffs from all major networks.

As technology develops, the average British day gets longer, with 37% of Brits admitting to being a slave to their phone. 1 in 5 BlackBerry and iPhone users claim they spend a minimum of 10 extra unpaid hours per week making calls, responding to emails and sorting work problems in the evenings and at the weekends.

With continuous technological advancements, the human need to stay connected is now easier than ever but more than a third of Brits claims they have become a slave to their phone; feeling lost without it and 23% sleep with their mobile beside their bed, according to a study by Rightmobilephone.co.uk.

A study of 1,226 British workers commissioned by the UK’s leading mobile phone price comparison website, has found that 1 in 3 admit to working out of hours on a weekly basis; replying to emails via their BlackBerry and making urgent calls and 1 in 5 claims to spend a minimum of 10 additional hours of unpaid work per week, in the evenings and weekends.

Despite the fact that 43% consider their BlackBerry to have made their lives less stressful and 28% prefer to stay connected with the office and their emails, almost 20% of British workers now feel pressurised to respond to client and colleague emails out of office hours and 35% claim to have had their evening or weekend ruined because of reading an email from an annoyed or demanding client.

www.Rightmobilephone.co.uk found that for 53% of people, their mobile phone is one of the first things they see in the morning. 24% of people check their emails via their BlackBerry before they leave for the office and 14% have already read and replied to emails before they even officially start their working day.

Speaking about the results, co-Managing Director of Rightmobilephone.co.uk, Neil McHugh said;

“Mobile phone technology is now so advanced that we are able to stay connected with friends, family and colleagues around the clock. The problems start when clients and management expect emails to be dealt with at the weekends and when the phone is going off throughout the night with various problems that need to be sorted.

“As long as expectations are set with clients, this technology can really make your working life easier; a day out of the office no longer has to mean a day out of the loop, people can now work remotely and keep up to date with all emails, thus preventing a stressful and unexpected start to the day.

“Family time is however extremely important and even though I fully understand the instant urge to check my emails in the morning, perhaps our loved ones should be the first people to get our attention!”

The study also revealed that 18% of people do not put their Out of Office on when they are off work as they know they will still be contactable via their mobile phone throughout the duration of their holiday. Unsurprisingly, 38% admit that their family members would prefer them to leave their BlackBerry device off when they are not at work and devote time to them.

LINK http://www.rightmobilephone.co.uk/

***ENDS***

For further information or to set up interviews with Neil McHugh or James Zielinski please contact Andy Barr, 10 Yetis PR Agency, [email protected], 01452 348211.

Notes to editors

Rightmobilephone.co.uk was launched in November 2007 to help consumers save time and money by providing a trusted comparison platform for customers to purchase from.

The site has become the UK’s most comprehensive and user friendly mobile phone comparison engine, with over 350,000 + mobile phone offers combined with user friendly consumer reviews, ratings and video.

Users can review and compare over 800 handsets with images, specifications and video with unique users reviews, opinions and ratings provided by handset owners and compare over 2000 + pay as you go offers and tariffs from all major networks.

Peter Jones dubbed it the “best invention I’ve seen on Dragons’ Den”; the inventor made history by having all five Dragons falling over themselves trying to invest, and this Christmas trueCall is set to take the consumer technology market by storm!

Peter Jones with trueCall

Fans of the popular BBC show ‘Dragons’ Den’ will already be familiar with trueCall, the ‘life altering’ device that allows the user to screen their phonecalls after witnessing entrepreneur Steve Smith making history by igniting the flames of all five Dragons as they battled to invest in his invention. Eventually Steve accepted the bid of telecoms, media and property tycoon Peter Jones for the smallest equity he has ever taken on the show – a 12.5% stake.

“It’s the best invention I’ve seen in 7 series’ of Dragons’ Den – I honestly believe this ground-breaking device will kill off the curse of the cold call which brings misery to so many people” – Peter Jones

Recorded message calls, sales calls, market research calls, malicious calls, silent calls and fax attacks -anyone unfortunate enough to have their personal details fall into the wrong hands is only too aware of the impact on their home life.

trueCall acts as a buffer between the phone and the outside world and learns to distinguish between welcome and unwelcome callers (by an intuitive ‘star’ and ‘zap’ feature). trueCall intercepts all unknown numbers to the user’s landline answering the call and asks the caller to say their name, only then does it ring the phone and tells the householder who is calling. If the caller’s number is on a “zap list” – numbers of telemarketers or other nuisance callers – the device answers it, and all future calls from that number, with an automated message which means the phone does not ring at all.

Multi award winning trueCall was developed in the UK, and is the first product of its type in the World!

Now is the time to regain control of your phoneline.

trueCall offers complete peace of mind with a once stop solution making it the ideal Christmas gift for family, friends or anyone who has found themselves on the receiving end of the tirade.

The trueCall device costs £97.50 from the trueCall website www.truecall.co.uk, Amazon.co.uk, the BT Online shop, the QVC Home Shopping Channel and from selected John Lewis stores.

Stockist

trueCall
www.truecall.co.uk 0800 0 336 339

Press Contact

Anja McLoughlin zero2one PR
[email protected] 0207 384 3355

JAG Communications’ Branch in Par is supplying local shop owners with 30 Orange Just Talk (Nokia 1200, Pay As You Go) Phones to use in the new Fowey Shop Watch scheme. Three of the Nokia 1200’s have been given to the scheme for free; in order to support the local authority’s efforts to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in the area.

The scheme will act like a neighbourhood/community watch programme; designed to alert business owners of shoplifting and other antisocial issues occurring in the area.

The JAG Branch in Par is managed by Simon Austin-Rattenbury (32) and Sales Executive Chris Plowman (21). They learned about the Shop Watch scheme when Police Community Support Officer Linda Thomas visited the branch looking for mobile telephones with which to instigate the project. She had investigated various different options for how the scheme could operate, deciding finally upon a pre-installed text message system, allowing shop workers to quickly circulate important information to one another in a very short space of time.

Linda Thomas said: “I looked into using a standard ‘phone around’ system, but since a lot of the shop workers in the area work on their own, this would have been too time consuming. I also investigated the use of radios, but these would have been a bit expensive, so I’ve settled on the text message idea; and it seems to work.”

Linda will pre-programme a series of text templates into each handset, each containing short information alerts about various other acts of antisocial behaviour or criminal activity. But it doesn’t just stop at crime, Linda Thomas explained: “I can also use the shop-watch system to inform every store about descriptions of missing people and other community-related alerts.”

Simon Austin-Rattenbury said: “I think it’s a great idea -there is too much anti-social behaviour going on. When people do steal things they don’t realise the impact it can have on small businesses trying to make a living.”

There are 25 participating retail outlets in the village of Fowey, each with their own Shop Watch mobile telephone. Since some of the shops are also members of Pub Watch (those which sell alcohol) it is likely that Shop Watch and Pub Watch will combine to create a larger, even more secure network.

Linda added: “The system is helping to make all of the shop workers feel safe.”

The phones JAG have donated will be distributed to key members in the community, one will be given to the small town bus, which drives around Fowey all day and sees many visitors and locals, not only those on the bus, but also people on the streets.

One will be given to the small boat kiosk situated on the town quay by the river, the person in the kiosk can see everyone entering Fowey via the river, water taxis, ferry boats and anyone who moors up at the quay to come ashore.

The other phone will be the main Shopwatch phone, which will be used by Linda when she is working.

JAG’s MD, John George said: “I’m very happy to be helping out with the security of businesses in Fowey. It’s increasingly important for business operators to cooperate with one another to reduce antisocial behaviour and where possible, to maintain the safety; and security, of each others’ livelihoods and shop staff. Mobile phones and text messages are very effective means of circulating important information quickly and easily.”

Simon added: “From personal experience of working in a store on my own and being threatened with physical violence; I hope that this scheme will help the local shop owners feel less intimidated to call for help. I think that knowing someone will be with them very quickly if the need arises will make a significant difference.”

Background:

JAG Communications is the third-largest mobile phone retailer in the UK, with over 145 branches across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We supply the latest handsets and accessories; as well as good-value contracts on all five major networks. The company’s MD, John George, is also a pilot, airfield owner and HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship driver.

Simon Austin-Rattenbury has been working for JAG for just over four years. Before that he worked briefly for Europcar at Newquay airport, he is married and has a six-year-old son. He is interested in sport and has played cricket for both St Austell and Fowey. Chris Plowman (21) also works in the branch as a Sales Executive.

On the 17th of April John George took 16 JAG employees on the PalmerSport Day at Bedford Autodrome in Northamptonshire. The day comprised of a full briefing, followed by colleagues and co-workers racing each other in a series of seven different high-performance vehicles.

John managed to win the Palmer Jaguar JP1, Porsche 911 JP3 and Caterham 7 Sprint races; making him the overall winner of the day. To his dismay, Andy Whitaker beat John over the line in the Renault Clio Cup session; despite John’s previous racing experience in the Clio Cup.

One highlight of the day included Business Manager Hayley Luxton being “blue-flagged” (a warning given to drivers to move away from the racing line when they are about to be overtaken). Hayley complied with the warning at first and pulled her car over, before changing her mind and re-entering the racing line, pushing Group Operations Manager Scott Fulfitt into a “brake here” sign in the process.

Despite his little accident, Scott had a good time, finishing in 7th overall for the day. He said: “The day was excellent and a huge amount of thought was put into it, from signing in, the food, travel… it was good to see that everyone, including people who were not that sure about driving too fast had a good day. It was great to meet everyone in such a great atmosphere.”

The event was made possible by Orange, who also sent five of their own staff to the event to mingle with JAG’s employees and compete against them in the racing. JAG’s ongoing Preferred Partner status with the network comes as a result of the company connecting so many users to Orange; the PalmerSport Day was a further incentive, and a thank-you from the network to JAG.

JAG invited five of its branch staff to the event, for selling high volumes of various different Orange products. Although the incentive was open to all JAG branch staff, it was only Branch Managers who made the mark. Andy Macey, Manager of JAG’s Shirley branch, Lee McBride (Manager, Gosport) Steve Turner (Manager, Falmouth) and Maxine Ryl (Manager, Belper) all attended the racing day.

Maxine said: “It was a very competitive day and we all had a great time. Working for JAG is like being part of one big team, and the Palmer Day really showed that.”

Andy Whitaker, JAG Group Manager who has raced rally cars competitively in the past said: “This wasn’t the first time I’ve been on one of these days, but whenever I get the chance to go, I go. It’s so well organised, the cars are well-kept and the instructors are brilliant. It’s a fantastic place.”

Area Manager Joanne Whyman said: “It was an incredible experience. I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity to race seven different super cars in one day. We had professional racing drivers in the cars with us showing us how to do it all and they really pushed us to the limit. I liked the Land Rover bit best –it was more skill than speed.”

John George, the most experienced racer present on the day said: “It’s terrific to share my hobby with my friends and colleagues –the day was good for teambuilding and getting to know some JAG staff a bit better. Everyone got into the spirit of the day and I’m delighted by how much they all enjoyed it.”

The Palmer Day was another example of the wide range of perks and incentives available to JAG’s employees across the board, from Sales Executives to Senior Management.

Branch Manager of JAG’s Falmouth branch, Steve Turner said: “I’ve known most of these people for years, but it was great to get to know some of the new staff JAG has taken on, in such a relaxed and enjoyable environment. It was the day of a lifetime.”

ENDS