MANCHESTER, England, September 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

-A recent study has shown that Brits are increasingly using smartphones; Powwownow say this owes to great features like their conference calling iPhone app-

Leading conference call provider, Powwownow say that the results of new research by Ofcom, which revealed that over a quarter of adults and nearly half of teenagers now own a smartphone, can be traced back to the fantastic range of apps available on these devices.

Powwownow CEO, Andrew Pearce says: "Smartphones are an entirely different breed of mobile phone - not only can people make calls and send texts on the move, they can now check their email, network with their friends, read the news, take part in conference calls and even look up a recipe for what they're going to make for dinner using smartphone apps. Apps have caused a fundamental shift in the way people go about their daily lives and this can be easily put down to the quality and diversity of the smartphone applications available on the market today."

The study showed that around 47 percent of adult smartphone users have downloaded an app on their smartphone, with free apps proving very popular. Powwownow say that smartphone users also have a different approach to their work/life balance, often causing their social and work lives to intertwine. Ofcom found that 30 percent of smartphone users surveyed admitted to regularly making personal phone calls during work hours, while 24 percent also confessed to regularly taking part in work calls while on holiday.

Pearce continues: "Ofcom's findings show that while smartphone users may play harder than regular mobile phone users, they also work harder. A smartphone owner takes their work with them wherever they go so they can use fantastic apps such as the free Powwownow iPhone app. More people than ever are investing in smartphones and this is due in no small part to the availability of such apps."

These figures point to a continued trend which has seen many companies embracing remote working, all of whom understand the benefits of allowing staff to work from home or on the go. According to a survey by peopleperhour.com on the benefits of remote working, 71 percent of respondents emphasised flexibility and cost savings. Respondents claim to be saving 23 percent of staff costs due to the move to mobile working. Whilst over nine out of 10 (91 percent) of respondents said the work quality of remote workers is as good or better than office-based staff.

About Powwownow:

Powwownow (http://www.powwownow.co.uk/) was founded in the UK in 2004, offering customers low-cost conference calling facilities with the ethos of no booking, no billing, no fuss. The customer does not need to book a conference room and never receives a bill from Powwownow. They only pay the cost of their own call, which is added to their standard telecoms bill. The company now operates in 15 countries worldwide including the US and major European markets and recently acquired web conferencing and business collaboration providers, Yuuguu. Turnover for 2011 is predicted to reach £10m.

Find out more about Powwownow by visiting the Powwownow Facebook page and following @Powwownow on Twitter.

Powwownow employs 49 people and is based in Richmond and Manchester.

SOURCE Powwownow