Just an Online Minute... Unaware of Wireless

by Masha Geller, Jun 20, 2001, 12:00 AM

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If you're toying around with the idea of wireless advertising, here's something to consider: a new study published today by Taylor Nelson Sofres Telecoms in Europe reveals that awareness of Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS or '3G') remains low among potential users of services in the US, even though the technology to deliver wireless web services is close to being implemented.

The study, which covered 13 countries including the US, shows that around 89% of mobile phone or Internet users in the US are 'unaware' of or feel 'poorly informed' about wireless Internet technology.

In addition, there appears to be only limited interest in using wireless Internet technology among respondents in the US. On a scale of 1-6 (6 being the highest), the average interest score across all 13 markets surveyed was just over 3, with the score in the US slightly less, at 2.9.

Among the most popular services are "receiving and sending emails" and "accessing city maps...(or)...the latest news." Among the least popular services were "playing interactive games...(or)...games to win money."

The findings reveal wide differences in mobile phone ownership across all markets surveyed. In the US, for example, 36% of those 15 older own a mobile telephone compared with more than 69% in UK and 59% in Germany.

The study also found that male mobile phone or web users under the age of 35 showed the greatest interest in using wireless web services. Only 6% of mobile phone users in the US say they send a text message at least once a week, which is extremely low in comparison with most European markets, with 56% in UK, 55% in Germany and 58% in Belgium. Interestingly, while text messaging in Europe is most popular among those under 25 years of age, in the US its popularity is evenly spread across those 50 years of age and under.

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