Phone usage stuck in the dark ages

There's so much more fun to be had, honest

Most of us are still using our mobiles in the same way as we did five years ago, according to research by AppTrigger, the telecom app specialists.

The research - based on a sample of 500 UK punters - found that 57 per cent had not changed their usage, suggesting operators are failing somewhat in their bid to make us spend more, do more, on our phones.

Naturally Apptrigger believes operators lack the tools to make us more interested.

“Mobile operators are missing a trick by not combining traditional services with new IP services to create new innovative services” said Patrick Fitzgerald, VP of Marketing for AppTrigger. “However, the lack of mobile marketing is a side effect of a greater illness. If operators were equipped with the appropriate tools and technologies to link promotions, via applications, into their networks quickly and push them out to market, they would be able to capitalise on this lost opportunity.”

He believes that mobile phone operators are largely locked into proprietary application suites and hindered by complex connectivity issues. The missed opportunity comes in the form of traditional IN-based applications such as pre-paid, voicemail and SMS.

But it's not all bad news:

• Within the youth market (16 – 24 year olds) 62 per cent said that they download music or games;

• The ‘young careerist’ market (aged 25 – 34) said they are more likely to use their phones for PDA tools (diary, contacts and email) and checking websites (62 per cent and 69 per cent respectively);

• The mainstream age market (aged 35-44) make commercial transactions with their phones (39 per cent said they conduct transactions such as topping up their balance);

• The mature age group (45 to 55 year olds) were most likely to user their phones for checking websites;

But when it comes to GPS service awareness is still patchy, only 22 per cent of mobile phone owners in all age groups said they have used Location-Based Services (LBS)

February 04, 2008 | Permalink