6:54am UK, Monday May 12, 2003

Losing a mobile phone would be similar to a bereavement for almost half of young people, according to a new report.

Research among 25 to 34-year-olds found that 46% "could not live without" their mobile, although users were increasingly likely to send text messages rather than make a voice call.

180 female teenager girl on mobile phone

Love me, love my phone

One in three of those questioned by Henley Management College said they personalised their ringtones, while 12% changed the fascia.

The research, which involved 50 interviews and three focus groups, found three distinctive groups of mobile phone users:

First were 'Cyborgs' - the generation who could not remember life without a mobile phone and believed their mobile was an extension of themselves.

Second were 'Prosthetics' - those who are highly dependent on mobiles for organising their public and private lives, but who do not see them as part of themselves.

Third were 'Connected But Unattached'. They use mobiles mainly for work or emergencies and rarely send texts.

Research author Michael Hulme said: "Over the three years of this research there has been growing evidence of an increased dependency on mobile phones - not just in practical terms, but in an emotional sense.

"People see their phone as reflection of themselves and their status, they use it to communicate how they're feeling, and to improve their everyday experience of life."