Saved by the Cell

There are very few demographic differences among teenage cell phones owners, with one important exception: age. Among those ages 12 to 13, only 52% own a cell phone. Cell phone ownership jumps sharply to 72% at age 14, right at the transition from middle school to high school. Cell phone ownership reaches 85% at age 16. Even when cell phone ownership was less prominent among teenagers, there was still a considerable jump in ownership at age 14. In 2004, when only 45% of all teens owned a cell phone, ownership increased to 43% at age 14 from 34% from age 13. And a 16-point jump to 61% occurred at age 14 in 2006, when overall teenage ownership was 63%. Read More