Neilson reports on how teens mobile data use has surged while voice usage has declined.

Messaging remains the centerpiece of mobile teen behavior. The number of messages exchanged monthly (SMS and MMS) hit 3,417 per teen in Q3 2011, averaging seven messages per waking hour. Teen females are holding the messaging front, sending and receiving 3,952 messages per month versus 2,815 from males. Aside from messaging, data heavy activities such as mobile internet, social networking, email, app downloads, and app usage are the most popular mobile activities.

Teens prefer messaging due to it's immediacy, ease of use and fun.

New Mobile Obsession: U.S. Teens Triple Data Usage