A physical keyboard for a handheld mobile communication device having a plurality of keys with corresponding indicia including keys simultaneously presenting associated alphabetic indicia and associated numeric indicia. The alphabetic indicia correspond to letters A-Z that are arranged in a QWERTY pattern and the numeric indicia correspond to at least numerals 1-9 that are arranged in an ITU Standard E.161 phone keypad pattern. At least some of the numerals and at least some of the letters are presented on the same keys thereby establishing an overlaid relationship. The keys that present alphabetic indicia number fewer than 26.