July 13, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2015
For more information, contact:
Natalie Bailey, public relations council
Moxley Carmichael
865-544-0088
There are now more wireless devices in the world than there are humans. July is National Cellphone Courtesy month and people, in all walks of life, have strong opinions when it comes to appropriate cellphone use.
“At U.S. Cellular we believe mobile devices, such as the 4G LTE iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy S 6 can enhance and simplify your life whether you are traveling throughout the nation or spending time with loved ones at home,” says Nick Wright, vice president of the sales-retail channel for U.S. Cellular. “When cellphone etiquette is kept top of mind, mobile devices can improve the time we spend with families and friends, not take away from it.”
Cellphone etiquette is becoming critical to observe in both casual and professional settings. A recent U.S. Cellular survey[1] identified the top 10 etiquette breaches and offers a few simple solutions to help overcome some of them.
It’s Not Me, It’s You: About two-thirds of phone owners believe that no one gets upset at them for their phone use – similar to the proportion (66 percent) that gets upset at others, at least sometimes. It’s easy to overlook your own etiquette breaches and focus on others, but remember that you may be doing the same thing.
Look Away: According to the U.S. Cellular survey, 70 percent of smartphone users think that it is rude to look at a phone while you are having a face-to-face conversation, and 66 percent think it is rude while dining with others. Instead, if you have to use your phone, politely excuse yourself and try to be quick so you can get back to your current company.
Collision Course: Texting and using a phone while walking can cause mishaps if you are not watching where you step. Thirty-six percent of smartphone users had someone walk into them while they were looking at their phone and 28 percent admitted to strolling into someone or something themselves!
Attention to Detail: Some smartphone owners get annoyed when people don’t respond to them in the same way in which they communicated first. The survey found that 31 percent will get frustrated if you call in response to a text.
Too Much Time on My Hands: How long does it take to get back to someone? Smartphone owners say they get somewhat or extremely annoyed if it takes more than a day to respond to voicemail (62 percent) or takes more than an hour to respond to a text (58 percent).
In the Know: Although people love to run with the pack, almost half (47 percent) are annoyed by group text messages. A solution could be to limit group texts to the people who really need to be involved.
Listen Up: Before the dawn of caller-id it was impossible to avoid conversations without picking up the phone, but nowadays 42 percent of survey respondents admit to checking who is calling first to avoid conversations. If someone is trying to contact you, sometimes a quick conversation is easier than exchanging voicemails and texts.
On a Date: Although acceptable behavior includes an arrival text at a date location and using a text to work out key details of the date. Texting while on the actual date is deal breaker (only 25 percent of people find this acceptable) and could turn the other person off.
Textiquette: Although there is variance where it comes to age, overall, more than half (64 percent) of those surveyed agree that a text message should be responded to within minutes and 25 percent think within seconds. The exception is while you are at work, where 42 percent think that is inappropriate to text at all.
Hold the Butter: There are two public places that top the list where survey goers report they see the worst cellphone behavior: restaurants and movie theatres. It may be a good idea to be extra mindful of your cellphone use while in these venues.
You can learn more about cellphone etiquette or about your device at U.S. Cellular monthly device workshops held at retail store locations across the nation. The next workshop is Tuesday, July 18, 6 p.m. at the 2736 Schaad Road.
¹ Results are from a nationally-representative online survey of 738 smartphone owners conducted by U.S. Cellular in partnership with Maritz Research from November 12-20, 2014.
Additional data charges may apply. 4G LTE service provided through King Street Wireless, a partner of U.S. Cellular. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.
About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular is the fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier has a strong line-up of cutting-edge devices that are all backed by a high-quality network in big and small cities and rural communities. Currently, 94 percent of customers have access to 4G LTE speeds, and 98 percent will have access by the end of 2015. U.S. Cellular was named a J.D. Power and Associates Customer Champion in 2014 for the third time in four years. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.
