The major mobile network operators report continued growth in users, with take-up in 1999 measured well into the millions of new customers.

Official figures put the number of UK mobile users at something like 40% of the population, though in most city centres it seems as though that must be an under-estimate. Still, we have a long way to go before the UK reaches the densities typical of Scandinavian countries, where more than one in two citizens is likely to have a mobile at hand.

BT Cellnet is also claiming very high levels of interest in mobile internet access. The company is confident the voice market will continue to grow but is looking for the next major development in this sector to come from the web.

At the same time, and somewhat unexpectedly, BT Cellnet has launched a campaign telling mobile users to "switch it off". Acknowledging that users are too often short on good manners, the operator is urging user

s to turn their phones off when appropriate, or at least switch over to silent ringing. Mobiles have become such a feature of work - but does the return in productivity always justify the expense? i-FM would be interested to hear from any organisation that has formally studied costs and benefits to underpin this aspect of telecoms policy. As always, confidentiality will be respected.

Elliott Chase