UK TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR

At Clear intelligence, we make it our business to monitor trends across all industry sectors. Here’s a selection of interesting facts and figures for the Telecommunications industry:

Broadband speed is crucial for customers
We are a nation of ‘speed freaks’ according to broadband comparison site Top 10 Broadband. Download speed seems to be the primary factor in deciding broadband customer satisfaction. Based on over 90,000 broadband speed tests captured in March, the top three fastest broadband providers were O2, Be and Virgin Media respectively.

Pay-as-you-go mobile handsets remain popular
Handset volumes stand at 68% of the total for this type of phone. Despite the increasing attraction of obtaining a 3G phone for ‘free’ with an annual contract and typically more generous tariffs for contract subscribers.

Texting is still phenomenally popular
Mobile phone texting is set to become even more popular among women, while men are more likely to talk without thinking about the bill – a reversal of the usual assumptions about men’s and women’s communicative attitudes.

Mobile payments industry to thrive
Payments via mobile phone are becoming increasingly popular and the industry expects further growth, according to research. The study carried out by consultancy Oliver Wyman polled 30 companies in the advanced payments industry. More than half (57%) of the respondents expect to see strong growth for payments made via alternative means over the next year.

Mobile operators to push data services
As mobile operators face another year of declining ARPU (average revenue per user) in the UK, there will be renewed impetus to push data services – to claw back lost revenue and get the most out of existing 3G networks. With no more growth to be had from pure voice on the mobile front, 2008 will see more creative packaging of mobile data services.

Device convergence – multimedia handsets
In 2007, Apple unveiled the iPhone, which has been a real catalyst for change in the market. The iPhone has already been 'reinvented' by various mobile manufacturers. But as well as spawning plenty of imitators, the device has galvanised interest in the mobile web – by making it an enjoyable, not just viable, experience.