Mobile carriers must act now to meet demand for 'smart' mobile services, says survey

A global survey of 15,000 consumers across 15 countries is said to highlight a huge demand for smart, personalized mobile Internet services. However, mobile carriers are risking their place in the mobile value chain by not responding to these demands quickly enough. Survey respondents suggest that over the next six months, media organizations such as the BBC, application developers such as Facebook and service providers such as Google, will be viewed as the most appropriate providers instead of mobile carriers.

The survey, undertaken by Nielsen Research and commissioned by Tellabs, reveals a strong user demand for a smart, personalized mobile Internet experience. Almost two-thirds of users (63 percent) say they would use these services--tailored to personal preferences, location, time of day and social setting--within the next six months.

Despite this high demand, the research delivered a stern warning to carriers. In 11 out of 14 areas, users expect a range of third-party providers to deliver new services such as music, mobile e-mail and location-based services within six months. In contrast, mobile carriers were only deemed "most appropriate" to provide basic voice, SMS and MMS services. Article