Changing Australian mobile phone habits revealed as market matures

Peter Dinham
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 18:10

IT Industry - Market

This is the first time specific questions regarding data allowance and data packs has been included in the AMPLI survey, which the AIMIA says is recognition of the increasing maturity of the market, in terms of carrier communications around pricing plans and options, and equally as important, as the increasing engagement of mobile phone owners with services on their mobile phones.

The survey also revealed a substantial increase in the proportion of respondents (63%) who said they had a 3G or 3.5G mobile phone which the AIMIA concludes is “most likely a reflection of the Australian market ‘growing up’ in terms of knowledge and understanding of mobile phones, and the services they can provide.
 
The AIMIA also said that some 71% of respondents to the survey said that they used their mobile phone to access information and entertainment content and services in the last 12 months, “indicating growth in both usage and purchase behaviours.”

On this score, the survey found that entertainment services and content is being enjoyed in a variety of formats including video (19%), images (19%), SMS (17%) and audio e.g. podcasts (16%), while in terms of ranking, patterns observed were:

•    Games maintained its number one ranking
•    Ringtones increased in ranking from (up from 3)
•    Music downloads (up from 5)
•    Wallpapers (down from 2)
•    Videos (up from 6) and screensavers (down from 4)

The survey also found 48% (up 12%) of respondents had used or visited an information service in the last 12 months, with weather, news and location/traffic services being the most popular categories, while across the board, consumption of each category of information services has increased, with information services being enjoyed in a variety of formats including text on a mobile site, images and video.

And, there’s also been an overall increase in the acceptance of advertising on the mobile phone since 2007.  Of interest was the fact that 39% of respondents stated that they would accept ads on their mobile phone in exchange for free mobile content or special offers, and 56% of respondents stated that they would accept ads from companies with whom they have agreed to accept ads.