One out of three mobile phone users unaware they have access to the internet

 

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Posted on 26 Jan 2010 at 17:50

A recent report has highlighted a massive gap between early adopters of smartphones and mobile internet services, and the average mobile phone user. The "Brandheld" report, carried out by research firm Essential Research during six months last year, studied technology companies, retailers and mobile phone users, and included surveys, discussion groups and interactive sessions. Highlights include:

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• 76 per cent of UK mobile phone users aged 16+ are not accessing the internet via mobile phones

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• Just 10 per cent of mobile phone owners access the mobile internet via their phones daily

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• 60 per cent of UK mobile phone users aged 16+ claim not to even own a mobile with internet access

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• Only 30 per cent of these non-owners are actually interested in buying an internet-enabled phone

Of the 40 per cent of users who claim to have an internet-enabled phone, 31 per cent say they haven't actually accessed the internet from their phone, and 24 per cent of them use it less than once a week.

The study confirmed the stereotype of the mobile internet user as a young, affluent professional living in a city. These users tend to be driven by social pressures, and admit to socialising more than non-users. Many of them also report using their phone for social networking more than their computer.

However the rest of the population seem to be more unaware than uninterested. A large proportion of the survey's respondents weren't even aware that the phone they used could access the internet. Only 40 per cent claimed to have a mobile phone with internet access; however, when the researchers checked which model they actually owned, they found that 69 per cent of identified phones were able to access the internet with a minimum of GPRS (2G) speeds, enough to check email, update Facebook and Twitter, and access other mobile internet services.

Many users were convinced they couldn't do anything on the internet using their phones that they couldn't already do with their PCs. 35 per cent of users who hadn't used the internet on their phone said that they could do anything they needed on the internet via their PC, showing a stunning lack of awareness of the unique services available on mobile devices. When shown mobile internet services, half of these users were pleasantly surprised, especially by location-aware services, and said that they would buy a phone to use those services.

Author: Barry de la Rosa