Confusing Services Deterring Customers from 3G

According to a poll commissioned by Netonomy, 71% of respondents believe mobile phone services are getting more complicated to understand and configure.

The poll, which was conducted by YouGov across 2,000 UK consumers, suggests that UK consumers are becoming increasingly confused by mobile services and that issues around ease-of-use could deter them from upgrading to 3G handsets. The survey also found that less than half (41%) of respondents were confident that they would find 3G phones and services easy to use, while only 4% of respondents were planning to upgrade to a 3G phone.

Interestingly, 53% of 18 to 29 year olds - the early adopters with high disposable incomes that are being targeted for next-generation mobile services - think that quality online customer self-service facilities (such as the ability to set up new services, resolve problems or analyze bills yourself) will make 3G services easier to understand.

"It is an exciting time for the industry as services such as mobile TV and mobile video conferencing become a reality," comments John Hughes, cofounder and executive vice president of Netonomy. "However, rather than technological advances making it easier for the consumer they seem to be making things more complex. We believe that online customer self-service will play a crucial role in helping consumers understand and manage their 3G services so they can enjoy an enriched user experience."

The survey also revealed gender differences - 48% of male respondents were confident that they would find 3G services easy to use compared to only 35% of female respondents. It would be interesting to see whether this male confidence is justified - or whether it will get them lost in 3G."

Posted to the site on 9th February 2005