Child …phone addicts

Two children in Spain have been admitted to a mental health institution to be treated for addiction to their mobile phones, Spanish media report.

The children, aged 12 and 13, were sent to the clinic by their parents, who said they could not carry out normal activities without their handsets. They were doing badly at school and lying to relatives in order to get money to spend on their phones. They have been learning to cope without their phones for three months.

Dr Maite Utges, who runs the Child and Youth Mental Health Centre in Lleida, near Barcelona in north-eastern Spain, said it was the first time the clinic had treated children who were dependent on their mobile phones. "They both showed disturbed behavior and this exhibited itself in failure at school. They both had serious difficulties leading normal lives," she was quoted in Spanish papers as saying.

So among others mobile telephone companies connect people with their …alternative world!!!

Cubans snapping up mobile phones

Cubans are reported to have taken out 7,400 new mobile phone contracts in the 10 days since restrictions were eased.

The figures, reported by the AFP news agency, were issued by the country's state telecoms company Etecsa. Etecsa expects to sell 1.4 million new mobile phone contracts in Cuba in the next five years.

Until President Raul Castro lifted restrictions, mobile phones could only be bought by government officials and people working for foreign firms. Since taking over from his brother, Raul Castro has lifted a number of restrictions on Cubans, including those on renting cars and buying DVDs.

The number of new mobile phone contracts is impressive given that it costs about £60 just to set up a new contract while the average monthly salary in Cuba is less than £10. In the past, many Cubans used illegal phones or asked permitted users to sign up on their behalf.

Now you can call Castro any time you like!!!