In Brief: Cell-phone bills a priority for youngsters

Paying mobile-phone bills is a priority for young people, a survey conducted by Norway's Telenor found.

The carrier reported that 98 percent of 14-to-15-year-olds have cell phones, most of whom have their bills paid by their parents. But it also found that 75 percent of those between 15 and 29 believed it was important for them to have control over their own mobile-phone expenses.

"We see that the mobile phone is becoming increasingly important to the youth market when they communicate, so it is not surprising that paying their mobile bill is a high priority," said Jon Erik Haug, vice president of mobile consumer market. "At the same time, we see that more young mobile users experience problems paying their mobile bills, and that they want better control over costs."

Copyright 2006 by United Press International