Dutch children spend about a quarter of their pocket money on mobile phone calls, an survey by telecoms company T-mobile has shown. The cost of their telephone subscription, on average 13 euros a month, is usually covered by their parents. The researchers say that most children own a cellphone by the time they go to secondary school.

One in four children is given a mobile phone when they are between six and eight years old. Their parents cited "security" as the main reason for giving their children a telephone. One thousand parents in the Netherlands were questioned in the course of the survey.

The publication of the survey's findings coincides with the introduction by T-mobile of a family subscription package, which allows up to six family members to telephone each other for free. Calls to others are subject to the usual rates.