Over 97 per cent of the UK population have access to either a fixed or mobile phone according to a new survey published yesterday by regulator OFTEL.

Over one million people own a mobile phone instead of a fixed line phone, because they prefer their flexibility, ability to be contactable at all times, and ease of budgeting using prepaid vouchers. This figure includes many of the 2.3 million people who live in homes without a fixed line telephone.

David Edmonds, Director General Telecommunications said: "Our survey shows that a significant and growing number of people prefer to use a mobile phone in preference to a fixed line telephone. However, there is still an important minority of people that cannot afford either a fixed or mobile phone. Payphones are an alternative way of controlling costs, but less satisfactory in terms of their availability, location and accessibility.

OFTEL appears genuinely perplexed that people might actually prefer mobiles, the report says: "Only a quarter (of those without a fixed line phone) would prefer to use a fixed line to their current method, and whilst part of this reasoning may be due to cost issues, there would appear to be some consumers who genuinely have no need or desire to use a fixed line phone. Only about half of consumers say they intend to get a fixed phone in the future."

Richard Byatt