Toilet talk wrong call for mobile phone customers

Rob Lockyear | 19th January 2009

THE mobile phone has become an integral part of modern life but it seems some Ipswich mobile users just do not know when to hang up.

A survey conducted by Microsoft showed 48 per cent of Australian mobile phone users did not let a visit to the dunny stop them from chatting with their mates.

But local mobile phone experts say mobile phones and liquid of any kind are not a good mix.

Riverlink Vodafone sales assistant Marcia Byers said there was an endless stream of customers with a sad tale to tell about the watery demise of their beloved mobile.

“We hear about phones that have gone swimming, been drowned in bourbon, dropped in a deep fryer, rescued from the toilet,” Ms Byers said.

“It happens all the time.”

She said alcohol seemed to be a contributing factor in the loss of a mobile.

The survey also showed 80 per cent of Aussies would not think twice about using their phone during a meal with friends, while about a quarter of men thought a quick call to the missus would be an adequate way to propose.

But once married, it showed women were much more likely to have a sneaky peek at their partner's messages and call list.

Riverlink Vodafone store manager Sophia Persson said one mother had proudly shared her espionage skills in infiltrating her son's text messages in a bid to keep tabs on his teenage antics.

The mum had offered to buy some credit for the unsuspecting teen and took the opportunity to rifle through the modern day equivalent of that classic no go zone - the diary.

“She was really happy with it,” Ms Persson said.