Complexity threatening 3G take-up

February 8, 2005

According to a poll commissioned by Netonomy, expert in customer self-service solutions for the communications industry, 71 per cent 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 per cent) of respondents were confident that they would find 3G phones and services easy to use, while only 4 per cent of respondents were planning to upgrade to a 3G phone.

Following the investment made in acquiring 3G licenses and bringing 3G services to market, mobile operators will be keen to ensure history doesn't repeat itself after the failure of Wireless Access Protocol (WAP). Interestingly, 53 per cent 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 per cent of male respondents were confident that they would find 3G services easy to use compared to only 35 per cent of female respondents. It would be interesting to see whether this male confidence is justified - or whether it will get them lost in 3G.