THESE days mobile phones are no longer used for their original purpose. They serve now as an indicator of self-importance and imagined social class. Here in Saudi Arabia, where showing off is far too common, mobile phones have moved in to fill the gap left by the departure of bleepers.

When mobile service was first introduced, the extremely high price of SR10,000 was no deterrent. Applicants literally raced and fell over each other to get a line and have never missed a chance to let everyone know that their numbers were among the first of the 0554 group. The numbers were at first reserved for VIPs though they were sold later for very high prices. Bills for the mobile phones were — and still are — a headache. Since we always like to see our country at the top of any list, we must note that mobile phone charges in Saudi Arabia are the highest in the world.

People seem mad to acquire mobile phone and, in fact, some people hold one in their hands which is not even connected. This demand has seen the mushrooming of shops selling mobile phones and related accessories. In Riyadh, a whole street is dedicated to them and the original street name has long since been forgotten. Most people know it as "The Street of Communications" while the religious ones term it "The Street of the Devil." Over time, the service charges naturally came down and a number of options were presented to the public — "the family mobile" and "the student mobile." Virtually every adult has a mobile phone; even children have had their demands for phones answered. Drivers have also been lucky since many employers provided them with a phone so they could be contacted at any time.

Given all these special offers and such, there is no longer any chance of impressing anyone with a mobile phone. But new ways of doing so have developed. The market never tires of producing new phones that are at the cutting edge of modern technology or, even better, that add new services to the network at regular intervals.

Take the text message as one example. The most desirable feature in any mobile phone now is its ability to store large numbers of messages and to receive them in either Arabic or English. No one wants a message facility which cannot receive graphics either; and, of course, jokes and amusing headlines are regularly circulated. So common are these that it is now completely normal to hear the tone that informs us of a received message rather than of an incoming phone call. People, of course, blindly follow the latest trends and so phones are changed routinely. Different brands, colors and sizes; each has its 15 minutes until another fashion moves into the spotlight. The smaller and lighter your phone, the more appealing — I have a feeling that one day we will hear about a mobile that can be implanted in our bodies.

An accessory to decorate the phone is another must-have. You can choose from lights that beam whenever the phone rings, chains of beads that dangle from the sides and even diamonds can be added to the front cover.

It is so old-fashioned now to have the same old ring tone. It needs to be changed into one of the new catchy tunes that are updated according to the latest pop charts. On any given day when you are in a mall or a restaurant, these things force themselves upon your ear. All are turned up high enough to be heard loud and clear. Many are the times in meetings or lectures when the speaker is interrupted because of the constant ringing — and this despite polite requests to turn them off. On planes, the same is true, regardless of the hazards they may cause.

When you have observed and experienced the foregoing, you can’t help wondering what is so important about these mobiles. To be used in emergencies? Perhaps in some cases, but what about the rest of the time? One thing is certain after all and it is that the days of public display with a mobile phone are not over yet. So don’t bother giving your home or office phone number; just give your mobile because that is surely where you can always be reached.