It was Britain’s first digital big freeze. Mobile phone networks reported a huge leap in text and picture messages yesterday as Britons contacted bosses, family and friends to tell them they had been snowed in/failed to catch that train/been unable to start the car.

Vodafone saw a 58% leap in texts to well over 30m, with the peak of activity between 7am and 9am. More than half a million texts were sent in the five minutes after 8am alone.

It also saw a dramatic rise in the number of picture messages sent, as people went out to enjoy the snow. Rival network 3 saw picture messaging double yesterday as people took photos and uploaded them to their blogs or Facebook profiles.

T-Mobile yesterday recorded a 73% increase in calls compared with a typical Monday, as people working from home relied on their mobiles to keep in touch.

Mobile broadband usage was also higher, according to Orange, as people logged on to laptops with their phones.

Via Guardian