National Study Reveals How Teens Are Shaping & Reshaping Their Wireless World

Study Sheds New Light On Teens' Cell Phone Habits, Expectations &
Dream Phone Wishes
WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
A generation widely defined by mobility, today's teenagers are now
making demands of their mobile devices and, in doing so, redefining
what mobility will be in the future, according to a national survey,
"Teenagers: A Generation Unplugged," released today by CTIA - The
Wireless Association(R) in conjunction with Harris Interactive.

As the wireless industry celebrates the upcoming 25th anniversary
of the first commercial cell phone call (October 13, 1983), this
in-depth online study of more than 2,000 teenagers around the nation
sheds new light on how today's teens feel about wireless products and
services, how they are using them today and most importantly, how they
would like to use them in the future. A growing wireless segment,
teens view their cell phones as more than just an accessory.

"A quarter of a century of wireless innovation, new products and
customized features has transformed our everyday lives," said Steve
Largent, President and CEO, CTIA - The Wireless Association(R). "Teens
are a pivotal segment of wireless users. As the first generation born
into a wireless society, how they use their cell phones and what they
expect of these devices in the future will drive the next wave of
innovation in our industry."

Impact on Teen Life

According to the Harris Interactive study, second to clothing,
teens say a cell phone tells the most about a person's social status
or popularity, outranking jewelry, watches and shoes. The study also
found that cell phones are fast becoming a social necessity among
teens. A majority (57 percent) view their cell phone as the key to
their social life.

With nearly four out of every five teens (17 million) carrying a
wireless device (a 40 percent increase since 2004), it's not
surprising that six in ten teens (57 percent) credit mobility for
improving their quality of life. Over half of the respondents (52
percent) agree the cell phone has become a new form of entertainment
and one-third of teens currently play games on their phone. On a more
serious note, 80 percent of teens surveyed said their cell phone
provided a sense of security while on the go, confirming the cell
phone has become their mobile safety net when needing a ride (79
percent), getting important information (51 percent), or just helping
out someone in trouble (35 percent).

From texting to talking and logging on to social networking sites,
teens carry cell phones to have access to friends, family and current
events. Ironically, while only one in five (18 percent) teens care to
pinpoint the location of their family and friends via their cell
phone, 36 percent hate the idea of a cell phone feature allowing
others to know their exact location.

Texting Replacing Talking

Another significant trend confirmed by the study is that texting
is indeed replacing talking among teens. Teens admitted spending
nearly an equal amount of time talking as they do texting each month.
The feature is so important to them that if texting was no longer an
option, 47 percent of teens say their social life would end or be
worsened - especially among females (54 percent compared to 40 percent
of males).

Teens say texting has critical advantages because it offers more
options, including multitasking, speed, the option to avoid verbal
communication, and because it is fun - in that order. With more than 1
billion text messages sent each day, it is no surprise that 42 percent
of teens say they can even text blindfolded, the study revealed.

"Teens have created a new form of communication. We call it
texting, but in essence it is a reflection of how teens want to
communicate to match their lifestyles. It is all about multitasking,
speed, privacy and control," said Joseph Porus, Vice President & Chief
Architect, Technology Group, Harris Interactive. "Teens in this study
are crying for personalization and control of exactly what a wireless
device or plan can do for them."

Reshaping the Future

The Harris Interactive study provided a futuristic snapshot as to
what teens would like to change about wireless services and devices.
They want cell phones that break boundaries and are personalized to
fit their lifestyle. Topping their wireless wish list are phones that:

-- Guarantee secured data access to the user only (80 percent)

-- Provide accessibility to personal health records (66 percent)

-- Present opportunities to be educated anywhere in the world (66
percent)

-- Bring users closer to global issues impacting teens' world (63
percent)

"Teens expect mobile technology to change the social fabric of
their world and they have laid the future at the feet of this
technology like no other," said Porus. "To our knowledge, no other
industry carries these hopes; while teens are interested in cars and
music and movies, it is mobility that will change their future!"

While there is no crystal ball to show what phones of the future
will look like, the study found that teens are excited and open-minded
about the wireless possibilities. The survey found that teens' ideal
future mobile device would feature five applications - phone, MP3
player, GPS, laptop computer and video player - and the following
desired features:

-- Shock and water proof (81 percent)

-- Endless power (80 percent)

-- Privacy screen (58 percent)

-- Flexible material and folds into different shapes and sizes
(39 percent)

-- Artificial intelligence - ask it questions and it gives
answers (38 percent)

"In the future, mobility for teens means mobile banking, mobile
voting, location based services, personal entertainment - the sky is
the limit for how mobile our lifestyles can be," commented Largent.
"We've certainly come a long way in 25 years and expect teens to be a
growth driver for the industry and have a major impact on the wireless
landscape for years to come."

Additional Information, Press Contacts

To review selected research slides from the Harris Interactive
study, entitled 'Teenagers: A Generation Unplugged, please
visit: www.HarrisInteractive.com/News/MediaAccess.

For additional information regarding the full survey results
contact Jeanette Casselano (CTIA) at (202) 828-8833,
jeanette.casselano@fleishman.com or Carly Lejnieks (Harris
Interactive) at (585) 727 7176, CLejnieks@HarrisInteractive.com.

About the Study: "Teenagers: A Generation Unplugged"

The study was conducted online among a nationally representative
sample of 2,089 teenagers across the U.S. who have cell phones (ages
13-19). More than 100 questions were asked on mobile phone usage,
attitudes, behaviors, and teens' desires and aspirations for the
future of mobile communications, entertainment, etc. The study was
conducted in July 2008 among teenagers who are part of the Harris
Interactive Online Panel.

About CTIA

CTIA is the international association for the wireless
telecommunications industry, representing carriers, manufacturers and
wireless Internet providers. Visit www.ctia.org for more information.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is a global leader in custom market research.
With a long and rich history in multimodal research, powered by our
science and technology, we assist clients in achieving business
results. Harris Interactive serves clients globally through our North
American, European and Asian offices and a network of independent
market research firms. For more information, please visit
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/.

For CTIA
Jeanette Casselano, 202-828-8833
jeanette.casselano@fleishman.com
or
Harris Interactive
Carly Lejnieks, 585-727-7176
CLejnieks@HarrisInteractive.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008