Complexity is preventing
uptake and usage of mobile applications and services, according to a survey
of US and UK consumers commissioned by mobile device management (MDM)
specialist Mformation. 95% of consumers surveyed indicated that they would
be more likely to try new mobile services if setup was easier. Complex
setup issues are also preventing 45% of people from upgrading to new, more
sophisticated mobile phones. Moreover, 61% of these mobile users say phone
setup is as frustrating as changing a bank account.
"Operators and device manufacturers need to remove barriers to service
uptake and unlock the true power of advanced mobile technology. The message
from consumers is that phone setup is simply too complex. Clearly, this
needs to be addressed," said Matthew Bancroft, Vice President,
Mformation. "‘Up and running straight out-of-the-box' means exactly
that, and our research shows that improving this aspect of the mobile phone
purchasing experience will help to improve profitability for many players
in our industry."
65% of respondents agreed that mobile operators are losing out, as people
will not buy a new phone because of the time it takes to set up. Indeed,
78% say they would change their handsets more regularly if the setup
process was less painful. The situation is further compounded when it
comes to the use of advanced revenue-generating mobile applications and
services, with 88% agreeing that they would use these services more if
setup were less painful. Basic services such as email (46%), Internet
browsing (40%), instant messaging (30%) and picture messaging (29%) are
among the top applications and services that people find don't always
work when they first switch on their phone. As a result, 61% have stopped
using mobile applications because they cannot solve problems with them.
"Subscribers are clearly convinced of the value of mobile services,"
added Bancroft. "However, 85% of the people we surveyed find it
frustrating to have to go through a number of steps when they want to
activate a service or application. It's a bit like getting a new gadget,
then finding that the batteries aren't included. Providing mobile
subscribers with a more seamless experience will remove these pains."
On average, people feel it should take no longer than 15 minutes to set up
a new mobile phone and feel confident it is working. However, at the moment
the average time is nearly an hour. The survey highlighted one
straightforward example of how setup of a new phone can be dramatically
improved. With over three quarters (78%) of consumers saying they are
worried about losing mobile data when changing handsets, 96% see value in a
service that automatically copies numbers, content and other data from an
old phone to a new one.
The research was undertaken by independent research house Coleman Parkes,
which asked 4,000 people in the UK and US about problems related to mobile
usage.
About Mformation
Mformation Technologies Inc.is the leading global provider of mobile
device management (MDM) technology, offering a complete solution that
enables mobile operators to rapidly accelerate their data revenues and
reduce support costs. Mformation's award-winning MFORMATION SERVICE
MANAGERTM suite is the most complete, flexible and integrated mobile
device management software solution in the industry, providing solutions
for OMA DM-based provisioning and configuration, FOTA management,
smartphone application management, diagnostics, security management,
enterprise management and customer experience management.
MFORMATION SERVICE MANAGERTM received the 2007 GSM Association's award
for "Best Service Delivery Platform" and was a finalist for the 2008
CTIA E-Tech award in the 4G-Service Management category. Mformation's
platform has been licensed to leading operators in Asia, Australia, Europe
and North America including AT&T, Bell Mobility, Bharti Airtel, Cell-C,
Rogers Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, Telecom New Zealand, Telefónica, Telus,
UQ Communications and Vodafone. Mformation is headquartered in Edison, New
Jersey with offices around the globe. Mformation is a privately held
company funded by Battery Ventures, Carmel Ventures, Intel Capital [NASDAQ:
INTC], North Bridge Venture Partners, QuestMark Partners, Visa
International and Wasatch Advisors Inc. MFORMATION SERVICE MANAGERTM is the leading management product for WiMAX,
supporting leading global service providers like Sprint/Xohm as they roll
out mobile WiMAX-based services. Contact Mformation on the Web at www.mformation.com.