56 Per Cent of Brits Know Less Than Two Mobile Numbers

26 per cent of adults don't know their own phone number, according to a study by mobile security and backup software company BullGuard. And while the average Brit has more than 50 numbers stored in their phone, they only know two of them off by heart. 

Is it the fault of smartphones? BullGuard reckons it might be, citing that two thirds of respondents claimed to be able to remember 'dozens' of phone numbers back in the pre-smartphone days - and 5 per cent were able to remember more than 10 numbers which were no longer in use.

Acording to BullGuard, the research shows we rely on our mobile phones to handle some of the jobs we used to rely on our memories for. 34 per cent admitted to failing to know important numbers after losing or breaking their phone, resulting in being locked out, lost or breaking down with no form of contact.

60 per cent said there was "no need" to remember phone numbers anymore, but 40 per cent said that they memorise "important numbers in case of emergency". Only 17 per cent of those polled know their spouses' mobile phone number.

"Before mobile phones were commonplace, the majority of people would know their partners' phone number, as well as the contact details for their mum, dad, brother, sister, best friend and even their boss," says BullGuard COO Mike Hodges. "In this day and age, nobody feels the need to memorise phone numbers, as we rarely have to dial a number anymore. Every phone has speed dial and a huge memory for literally thousands of numbers, so although it's great that technology has moved on, it can be disastrous if you lose or damage your phone, or if the battery dies, which can be fairly common."