Keypad phones, believe it or not, are still in use, and there is a surprising amount of variety to choose from. Some of the phones include 4G connectivity, cameras, and are built to last.

He added that the UK is particularly vulnerable to external shocks given that it is a "small open economy ... there is no evidence when you make phone calls - so bear this in mind going forward.

Get the best of the Pacific in your inbox!

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial ...