O2 UK ranks top in mobile web speed in London
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: O2 UK has been ranked as the fastest provider for mobile web pages in London in a survey of the UK mobile network mobile data download speeds.
In January 2010, O2 offered the fastest average web page access experience in London at 1.7 seconds, over 30% quicker than the slowest operator. Even for misc download, O2 emerged the winner by providing the fastest music download rate in 12 out of 20 UK key cities and was second place in a further four more.
Tests were conducted between 10am and 10pm Monday to Sunday in London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield.
‘Mobile Phones As Addictive As Cigarettes’
Mobile phones are as addictive as cigarettes or gambling with almost one-in-six youngsters hooked on them, according to new research.
And the habit of being constantly attached to their mobiles is causing their stress levels to soar.
Psychologist Dr David Sheffield, who carried out two studies into mobile phone use and stress, said some of the volunteers displayed behaviour you would associate with pathological gamblers.
One-in-seven (13 per cent) became restless and irritable if they were denied their mobile phone and even more (14 per cent) would lie to cover up the amount of time they spent on their handset. Seven per cent would lose a job rather than give it up.
Dr Sheffield said: “This is addictive behaviour. You might ask how people can get hooked on mobile phones but you would probably see similar responses if you took away someone’s car. They are part of everyday life.
“Getting phone calls can make you feel better about yourself – give you greater self-esteem. Whereas not getting calls can make you feel down or less important.”
In one study the researcher tested the blood pressure of 20 mobile phone users while they talked about their phone use before and while giving up their mobile phones.
He found people reported less hassles and uplifts when they had given up their handset and the increase in blood pressure when talking about their phones was not as large.
In the second study 106 students completed two questionnaires about mobile phone use and the addictive qualities of using a mobile.
Dr Sheffield will tell a British Psychological Society conference tomorrow that over 16 per cent of those questioned were found to have problem behaviour with their mobile phones.
This included being pre-occupied with it, being restless or irritable when attempting to cut down on phone use and lying to others about the extent of their mobile phone use.
Dr Sheffield, of
Staffordshire
University
, said: “You have to take into account this study was carried out specifically on students but it seems large numbers use mobile phones heavily and this has a significant impact on their lives.”
