PrePay Top-Ups Via Cashpoint Machines Increasingly Popular

Young people are almost as dependent on their mobile phones as they are on cash. According to new research commissioned by the UK based cashpoint (ATM) provider, LINK these are the two items that 18 to 24 year olds see as basic necessities.

The poll was conducted by YouGov on behalf of LINK to raise awareness of mobile phone top up facilities at cash machines. More than 2,000 UK adults that own a mobile phone were asked which items they would be most upset to be without. Topping the polls as the most needed possession for 18 to 24 year olds was cash, with 30 per cent saying they would be most distraught without it. In second place were mobiles, with 23 per cent stating they couldn't survive without one.

The survey results also showed that 18 - 24 year olds would be more willing to go without alcohol, chocolate and sex for 24 hours, than their mobile phone.

Only seven per cent said they would be happy to go without their mobile phone for 24 hours, whereas 39 per cent said they would prefer to go without alcohol, 21 per cent without chocolate and 12 per cent without sex.

The mobile phone also came in as a vital item on young people's (18 - 24 year olds) overnight survival kit, with 23 per cent rating it as the most important, second only to the toothbrush, which received 25 per cent of votes, but ahead of other essentials like deodorant and clean underwear, which enjoyed only 17 per cent popularity.

Graham Mott, head of planning and development at LINK, said, "The survey highlights that mobile phones and cash access are people's top priorities, and cash machines now provide a one stop shop to top up your phone and withdraw cash. This quick and easy service is available at any time of the day from any cash machine displaying the green top up logo. You can now top up mobile phones at over 42,000 cash machines across the UK." The company says that use of the service has grown rapidly with around 40,000 mobile phone top ups at cash machines made each day, or about 1.2 million per month.

To promote the service, LINK and participating mobile phone operators have launched an online game, Chat Attack, which is offering monthly pay-as-you-go credit prizes of up to £50 for gamers who have gained the highest scores on the leader board.

Posted to the site on 17th October 2007