Most mobile phone users will agree that there are few things more annoying than receiving a constant barrage of unsolicited text messages; the bad news is that a recent study has found that incidents of unsolicited text messages are on the rise across Europe, with approximately twenty five per cent of mobile phone users noticing a rise in such messages over the past year. Whilst unsolicited text messages remain a problem across Europe, the study has shown that it is particularly bad in France, where spam has risen by approximately sixty per cent during the past year.

Another worrying statistic was revealed by the research, which was carried out on behalf of Airwide Solutions, a company which wanted to look at the way consumers use their mobile phones in different countries across Europe. The research found that an increasing number of under-age consumers are accessing adult material over their mobile phones. This material may be concerned with gambling or adult entertainment in general and the problem is particularly acute in Spain.

Almost five per cent of mobile phone users aged between thirteen and seventeen in Spain have admitted to viewing material on adult sites which was designed for those aged eighteen and over. This figure compares badly to the percentage of British users in the same age group. Only just over one per cent of these users have viewed material of an adult nature over their phones.

Whilst British mobile phone users are not too concerned with accessing adult material, they are more interested in purchasing mobile content, including ringtones and wallpaper. British consumers spend almost six pounds on average per year on mobile phone games, various downloads and media clips, and other entertainment options.