The typical U.S. mobile subscriber now sends and receives more SMS text messages than they do mobile telephone calls and older people are also adopting SMS text messaging.

As of Q2 2008, a typical U.S. mobile subscriber sends or receives 357 text messages per month, compared to placing or receiving 204 phone calls.  Though the number of calls has remained relatively steady, the number of text messages is up 450% from just two years prior.  Q2 2008 was the second consecutive quarter in which the average number of text messages sent was significantly higher than the average number of phone calls placed.

In addition to showing the trend of texts compared to calls, Nielsen’s research shows that the typical U.S. teen mobile subscriber (ages 13–17) now sends or receives 1,742 text messages per month (compared to making or receiving 231 mobile phone calls).

Source: Nielsen Mobile