Cell phone most valuable communications tool, study says

Americans would rather give up their TV, Internet access or wireless email device than give up their cell phone, according to the latest Pew Internet Project survey, the first one to include mobile data. Just over half -- 51% -- of those surveyed said it would be hard to give up their cell phones, up from 38% in 2002.

One reason for that strong attachment is that people are doing more with their cell phones than just making phone calls. The Pew report found that 58% of U.S. adults have used cell phones or other wireless devices for text messaging, taking pictures, looking for directions or Web surfing. In the first survey of mobile data by Pew, 62% of those questioned have used a mobile data service or accessed the Internet via a laptop or PDA-type device while away from home and work.

Young people lead the way in mobile data usage, with 60% of those under 30 saying they send text messages daily. But ethnic minorities – Hispanics (65%) and African-Americans (54%) – join the youth market (70%) in avid use of wireless devices to connect to the Internet.

Overall, 19% of those surveyed use mobile devices to access the Internet, Pew said.

The Pew December 2007 study was based on a survey of 2,054 Americans 18 and over, including 500 respondents contacted on their cell phones.