Children are now getting their first mobile phone while still at primary school, research hsa found.
Nearly 75% of parents said they gave their children handsets for security and peace of mind, though 22% admitted peer pressure was an issue, with children wanting a phone because their classmates had one.
The survey conducted by MobilePhoneChecker.co.uk found that most children are aged just seven and a half years old when they get their first mobile phone.
This is compared to 12 years old in 2003.
More than 2,300 people took part in the research, which demonstrated how much phones have changed in ten years. Adults 25-30 years old said they most commonly owned a Nokia 3310 a decade ago, with the most commonly owned type of device now being a smartphone.
