Diners at some of the city-state's upmarket restaurants are now asked to switch off their mobile phones or leave their handsets with staff if important phone calls are expected, the report said.

"A mobile phone ringing in that ambience is very disruptive," said Christina Wee, manager of Au Jardin Les Amis, a posh French eatery located in the quiet surroundings of the Botanical Gardens.

Diners at the French eatery are required to switch off their mobile phones.

Early this month, the government launched a courtesy campaign targetted at the growing number of mobile phone users in the country.

Singapore has one of the highest mobile phone market penetrations in the world.

The need for mobile phone courtesy was highlighted in an incident here where a gang of youths beat up a man who ticked them off for talking loudly on a handphone in a cinema.

Last month, Singapore toughened up on motorists who phone and drive, making the use of mobile phones at the wheel a jailing offence.

Motorists caught phoning as they drive face a maximum six months in jail and a S$1000 (US$574.7) fine from July 1.

The sentence is doubled for second offenders to a maximum one year jail sentence and a S$2000 fine, as well as being banned from driving and forfeiting their phone.