International Mobile Business Subscribers Want Similar Device Features but Different Services, According to ABI Research Survey

Business Wire, Oct 22, 2008

NEW YORK -- In a survey conducted by ABI Research among mobile business customers from seven industrialized countries, the mobile device features currently attracting most interest and used most often are similar, regardless of location. Bluetooth, speakerphone and voice activated dialing are the most adopted features; QWERTY keyboards, touchscreens, PIM/PDA functionality and large screen size are of most interest regardless of country. However the most used mobile services differ between countries, which suggests varied opportunities and challenges for operators to leverage interests in new device options.

According to principal analyst Dan Shey, "South Korea and Taiwan are frequent video services users, so devices with larger screens can leverage device screen real estate for other multimedia content and services. UK respondents text message significantly more than other nations' mobile business customers and a high percentage of their usage is for personal reasons; UK operators will want to use improved keypad options for more interactivity, perhaps through advertising or with major brands."

Device feature interests can also help businesses improve their productivity. Adds Shey, "Use of handsets to access corporate data is still low, averaging about 12% of the survey respondent base. Greater device capabilities can lower the barriers for businesses to leverage corporate data for the benefit of their mobile employees."

A new ABI Research Brief, "International Mobile Business Customer Mobile Services Profiles" (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/research_brief/ Business_Mobility_Research_Brief/109), provides a view of mobile services and device adoption and usage for business customers from seven countries: the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Data include demographics by business customer vertical, occupation, size of business and mobility profile. The Brief is based on a web-based survey of 1,402 mobile business users.

Mobile services adoption and uptake data are provided across platforms that provide mobile voice, messaging, internet and corporate applications. Other highlighted points are mobile services voice and data spend, corporate bill payment, and laptop usage for Wi-Fi and cellular networks.

The study forms part of two of the firm's Research Services, Cellular PC Modems (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/ Cellular_PC_Modems_Research_Service) and Business Mobility (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/ Business_Mobility_Research_Service), which include Research Reports, Research Briefs, Market Data, Online Databases, ABI Insights, the ABI Vendor Matrix, and analyst inquiry support.

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ABI Research is a leading market research firm focused on the impact of emerging technologies on global consumer and business markets. Utilizing a unique blend of market intelligence, primary research, and expert assessment from its worldwide team of industry analysts, ABI Research assists hundreds of clients each year with their strategic growth initiatives. For information, visit www.abiresearch.com, or call 1.516.624.2500.