The rebellious face of Generation txt

By RICHARD PAMATATAU

Gene Andrews is the face of Generation txt.

The 21-year-old once worked at Westpac, but recognised that a degree would speed his climb up the financial ladder, so now he's at university, in between making coffee at Takapuna's Sierra Cafe.

Each month he sends 2000 to 3000 texts to his mates. Coded sentences are thumbed out to friends who might be in Auckland, overseas, or just across the cafe chatting.

"Sometimes you just don't want to talk to someone or don't have the time for a decent conversation or you are on the bus on the way to uni or looking to fill a moment and manage time," says Andrews.

Texting is also a good way to strike up a relationship with a girl.

"If I am out and chatting to a chick and she offers me her number, then I always text her because no one rings any more."

He has yet to dump anyone by text.

While he loves texting, Andrews is unimpressed with "greedy" Telecom. Its decision to limit its $10 monthly text deal to only 500 messages a month has riled him and his friends, who will "probably go back to Vodafone if this thing goes through".

"I signed up for Telecom for the $10 txt offer because my bills on Vodafone were getting up to $400 a month or more. The offer seemed pretty good but Telecom has always had such bad phones on the 027 network and the Nokia for this is crap and has been replaced twice.

"Now I have got a pxt [picture message] phone and half the time even if I pxt a friend who is in the same room the image never gets there. If it [Telecom] was really smart maybe it should have done more homework and set the price for unlimited texting a bit higher because if there is a mass defection it will just look even dumber."