London, Nov 5 : Britons have touched the one billion mark, as far as text messaging is concerned.

According to the latest figures from the Mobile Data Association (MDA), the British population is sending more than one billion text messages per week.

The figure reveals a 25 percent increase this year and is set to smash forecasts for how many text messages have been sent to and from handsets this year.

According to figures, some 4.825bn texts were sent in September 2007, equivalent to 4,000 every second.

"It has exceeded our forecasts quite significantly," BBC quoted Mike Short, head of the MDA, as saying.

He predicted that the total for 2007 will reach somewhere around 52 billion, an estimate far beyond the 42-48 billion the MDA previously predicted would be sent this year.

Short cited a number of reasons for the continuing growth.

"It's convenient, comprehensive, it's on every handset and network and it is cost effective," he said.

He added that the successful assurance of delivery was perfect for many messages that may not merit an entire conversation or that people did not want to trust to voicemail.

Many people were also happy to get news and updates about topics or teams they follow via text messaging, he said.

But, one of the principal factors, he said, was the increasing use of text messaging by companies.

"It's a lot more convenient for a business now to notify lots of their employees about an urgent message using a text message," Short said.

Simultaneously many other companies were using text messages to manage relationships with customers when deliveries, appointments or house calls were due, he further said.

"The UK text volumes show no real signs of abating and the UK sits within the top six of the global league of countries sending text messages," he said.

"While the trend towards operators offering 'all-you-can-eat' tariffs increases, this will act as a catalyst for consumers' passion for all things mobile,” he added. (ANI)