The three largest mobile phone service providers in the country said more than 62 million messages were sent on December 24 and 25 - five million more than in 2006.

Swisscom counted more than 25 million electronic messages on its network, with a little over half sent on Christmas Eve.

Orange customers sent around 20 million text and multimedia messages to friends and family, also placing themselves in danger of developing tenosynovitis, or text thumb, as the ailment has been dubbed when caused by excessive texting.