Released on: October 21, 2008, 1:49 am

Press Release Author: Hayley Fowell

Industry: Telecommunications

Press Release Summary: - Celebrity gossip dropped in favour of 'Credit Crunch' talk.
- One third of people prefer chatting to chocolate.
- The perfect telephone call should last 9 minutes and 36 seconds.

Press Release Body: Current affairs are quashing our thirst for celebrity gossip -
and we're more likely to be discussing the state of the economy than X-Factor on the
phone, according to a new study out today.

By shunning the latest Simon Cowell discovery or tabloid kiss-and-tell and embracing
big financial stories like the recent collapse of Lehman Brothers, the research
reveals that people are getting more from their phone calls than the standard,
"How's the weather where you are?"

The research, by Post Office(r) Telecoms, also reveals that with the right mix of
subjects, a call to a loved one can have more of an impact on our emotional
wellbeing than other creature comforts.

And the good news for dieters is that 31 per cent of people in the UK claim to feel
better after a good conversation than they do after eating a bar of chocolate.

The results show that nearly half (48 per cent) of Scots would shun a cup of tea in
favour of a phone call and one in five people in the South West feel better after
talking to a loved one than after indulging in a sensuous massage.

And people are quite particular about what makes up the ideal phone conversation.
With the credit crunch at the forefront of our minds, 42 seconds of the perfect,
feel-good, conversation should be taken up by current affairs; with celebrity gossip
accounting for just under 12 seconds of the call.

The research also shows that silence really is golden, with 12 seconds of the
perfect phone call consisting of no conversation at all.

According to the study, the perfect call should last 9 minutes and 36 seconds and
contain the following:

- News about family/friends 3 minutes
- Laughter 1 min 42 seconds
- Discussion of personal problems 1 minute
- Discussion of work/school 1 minute
- Current affairs 42 seconds
- Weather 24 seconds
- Talk about the opposite sex 24 seconds
- Silence 12 seconds
- Celebrity gossip 12 seconds
- Other topics 1 minute

Psychotherapist and agony aunt, Christine Webber explained: "A really good natter on
the phone can massively boost our feel-good factor. The world is a pretty uncertain
place at the moment, and hearing the voice of someone who matters down the end of
the phone can really mean a lot - even though we may be miles apart.

"Contact with friends or family is important for good mental health. And research
shows it's good for our physical health too, with various reports claiming that
regular contact with friends or family brings down blood pressure, lowers
cholesterol and may even stave off dementia."

Hugh Stacey, head of HomePhone at the Post Office(r), added: "Just a few months ago
very few people put the words 'credit' and 'crunch' together - and now talk is of
little else. Our study shows that people want to share their feelings about the
effects of the financial squeeze and there's no better way of doing that than by
chatting on the phone to friends and family.

"And with free weekend calls to UK mobiles and landlines in 20 overseas countries,
Post Office(r) HomePhone can help people manage the purse strings and benefit from the
feel good factor of a good natter at the same time."

The Post Office's(r) HomePhone service has already won more than 400,000 customers
with the lowest line rental prices of any major provider. To find out more call
0800 092 0500, visit postoffice.co.uk or ask at any of our 12,500 Post Office(r)
branches.

ENDS

The Post Office(r) offers a range of great value telephony products and services:
Post Office Broadband and HomePhone
The new Post Office(r) Broadband service was launched in October 2007 and offers
customers a cash prepayment option, fast connection speeds, no rural surcharges and
a range of great value packages, including bundles with the Post Office(r)'s telephone
service - HomePhone.

Post Office(r) 118855
Its directory enquiries service - 118855 - offers one of the most competitive prices
on the market with all calls charged at a flat rate of 40p (no per minute charges).
Customers can get two searches per call and free text back to mobiles.
Phonecards and E Top-ups
Post Office(r) branches offer a range of great value domestic and international
phonecards and a convenient E Top-up service for mobile phones.

Other Post Office(r) services include home
contents insurance, auto insurance and foreign exchange available at
postoffice.co.uk.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was
2,054 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23rd and 25th September 2008. The
survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative
of all UK adults (aged 18+).

*Free calls to mobiles phones in USA and Canada and 18 further overseas landline
destinations are available at weekends through Post Office HomePhone(r). Calls are
free up to 60 minutes, 5 pence per min thereafter, from 6pm Friday to 6am Monday.
Service starts 8 September 2008. Countries included in the offer are Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Canary Islands, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland,
Italy, Netherland, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
and the USA

For further information please contact:

3 Monkeys Communications
Gemma Shaw/Redzi Mangwana/Christine Jewell
020 7440 2410
Christine@3-monkeys.co.uk
Redzi@3-monkeys.co.uk
Gemmashaw@3-monkeys.co.uk

Post Office Ltd
Hayley Fowell
020 7250 2417
hayley.fowell@postoffice.co.uk

Notes to Editors
Post Office Ltd Registered in England and Wales no: 2154540 Registered Office: 80-86
Old Street London, EC1V 9NN
The Post Office and the Post Office symbol are registered trade marks of Post Office
Ltd in the UK and other countries

For the purposes of products regulated under the Financial Services & Markets Act
2000, Post Office Ltd is an appointed representative of Bristol & West plc, who are
authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered in England
no. 2124201. Registered Office: Bristol & West plc, One Temple Back East, Temple
Quay, Bristol, BS1 6DX.

Post Office(r), car and home
insurance is administered by BISL Limited, who are authorised and regulated by
the Financial Services Authority, Registered in England No 3231094.Registered
office: Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6YS.

Card Account offered by J.P. Morgan Europe Ltd through Post Office Ltd. J.P. Morgan
Europe Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
Registered in England and Wales No. 938937. Registered Office: 125 London Wall,
London, EC2Y 5AJ.


Web Site: http://www.postoffice.co.uk/

Contact Details: Post Office Ltd
Hayley Fowell
(+44) 020 7250 2417
hayley.fowell@postoffice.co.uk