It’s a well worn stereotype that SMS messaging is the soul preserve of teenagers. But as is the case with most stereotypes, this one doesn’t always ring true. While a comedy sketch may paint a picture of a texter as a spotty-faced teenager tapping away bizarre acronyms into a cell phone, in reality a typical texter may well be the parent of a teenager - or even their Gran.

It would seem that more mature mobile phones users are just as comfortable with sending a text message as a making a call. 

According to a recent survey of 500 participants in North America and Europe, 60% of those over 45 were just as likely to send a SMS as to make a voice call from a mobile phone. The survey for the American firm Tekelec, also found that around a third of the participants expected to increase their use of SMS in 2010. Perhaps most telling was that 80% of all ages believed that a text message was more likely to get a faster response than if they left a voice message or sent an email.

As you’d expect, texting was preferred by women, with 40% describing themselves as 'mainly texter,' whereas just 30% of men described themselves thus. 

So what’s the morale of the story? Well, if something is cheap, fast and easy to use it’s likely that everyone will want to get in on the act sooner or later.