Smartphones, iPhone, and Messaging Driving ARPU Gains for AT&T Mobile Business Customers, Says ABI Research

Market Wire, October, 2008

Mobile messaging revenues are driven by smartphone penetration, occupation segmentation and pricing. AT&T has the best combination of these variables resulting in the highest mobile messaging revenues from the mobile business customer. A new study from ABI Research analyzes customer demographics and mobile services usage to create profiles of mobile business customer ARPUs for Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile.

Principal analyst Dan Shey says, "AT&T ARPU figures demonstrate that personal use of the mobile phone across mobile services domains is also greatly benefiting AT&T business customer revenues. This is not only a smartphone phenomenon, it is also an iPhone phenomenon."

But the demographic profile differences that explain operators' customer services usage include more than age, income, and vertical/occupation representation. For instance, customer profiles also include an analysis of customer mobility based on time spent at home, in transit, and in different work locations. This data, and that showing customers' adoption of particular device features, help explain not only total ARPUs but also messaging services usage for each carrier.

Customers' demographics as well as their expressed interests in handset device features provide a snapshot of the future opportunities for operators when launching new services and expanding existing ones.

Says Shey, "Wi-Fi and location based service features are two device capabilities of high interest in our customer analysis. But the differences among operators in customer demographics, services adoption and device interests suggest that operators must pursue different technology strategies if they expect to be successful."

" US Mobile Operator Business Customer Profiles " provides a snapshot of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint mobile business customers based on survey data, primary research and pricing analysis. The study includes a demographic comparison of operators on 20 different levels. Mobile services adoption and usage responses provide a snapshot of mobile services ARPUs across voice, push-to-talk, messaging, mobile broadband and entertainment, internet access and applications.

The report also covers customers' interests in handset features, device management services, fixed vs. mobile usage, and personal/business usage. Demographic, usage, and interest data are summarized to provide recommendations on how these four operators can improve their influence with the mobile business customer.

It forms part of the firm's Business Mobility Research Service .

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.

Contact Info: Nicole Fabris Tel: 1-516-624-2542 Email Contact