Simpler phones will boost uptake of services

The complexity of today's mobile phones is inhibiting the uptake and usage of applications and services, says a new survey. Almost 100 per cent of the UK and US consumers questioned say they would be more likely to try new mobile services if the setting-up procedure was simpler.Some 45 per cent of consumers said complex set-up issues were the reason they had not upgraded to new and more sophisticated mobile phones. Apparently 61 per cent said setting up a mobile phone was as complicated and frustrating as trying to change a bank account.

Clearly this is an issue that mobile operators and phone vendors need to address if they are to boost uptake of the key revenue-generating services and applications currently being rolled out. Some 78 per cent of those surveyed said they would change their phones more regularly if the set-up process was less painful and 61 per cent reported they had stopped using mobile applications because they could not solve the problems they present.

Other survey results showed even basic services like email, instant messaging and Internet browsing don't always work when consumers first switch on their phones. Matthew Bancroft, vice president of Mformation who sponsored the survey, commented "With the current economic climate, operators and device manufacturers need to remove barriers to service uptake. The message from consumers is that phone setup is simply too complex."

For more on this story:
- go to Mobile Europe and Telecomredux

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