The Zelos Group, a technology research company, just released the report of a survey of 1300 people on the topic of wireless application likes and dislikes. Not surprisingly, people like photo mail and ptt services (although, I must admit, I sort of prefer the phone to ring first before somebody starts talking to me..also, with speaker phones and multi caller calling I don't really see the fascination with push to talk from a consumer standpoint...time will tell). Here's Zelos's summary:
Key Findings
• Push to Talk Tops The List. In a survey of almost 1,300 mobile subscribers, respondents were more likely to express strong interest in using push-to-talk or photo messaging services compared with other new network interactive applications. Over 20 percent were strongly predisposed to using these services compared with about 14 percent that currently access or expressed strong interest in accessing email.
• Bluetooth Needs Proof Points. When asked to rank features that they desire in their next handset, respondents were more likely to rank integrated digital camera and support for push-to-talk (PTT) service ahead of all other features apart from color display. Bluetooth ranked last in a list of 10 features, with only 13 percent of respondents choosing it in their top five.
• US Catching Text Messaging Craze. Despite being stymied until last year due to a lack of carrier inter-operability, text messaging has become a mainstream activity. Over one quarter of all respondents claimed to have sent a text message. Roughly 12 percent claim to do so at least once each week.
• Ring-Tones Make a Statement. A substantial portion of consumers want to make a social statement with a cellular terminal by customizing their devices. Over 50 percent of mobile subscribers claimed to have changed the default ring-tone on their device and 13 percent claimed to have paid to download a ring tone. Less conspicuous forms of personalization such as display graphics enjoy less appeal.
• Promise of Games Shouldn't be Oversold. While almost 30 percent of respondents claimed to play handset games, only a small portion expressed a willingness to pay for game content. While downloadable games appear prominently in carrier marketing initiatives, only 4 percent of respondents claimed to have paid to download one and 8 percent expressed a strong willingness to do so.
• Subscribers Want Control over Wireless Listings. When presented with a variety of options, less than 9 percent of respondents chose the ability to list their wireless number in a manner similar to residential phone listings. Sixty-two percent chose an unlisted wireless number as their preferred option. Others indicated a willingness to list numbers so long as simple safeguards can be put in place to manage access.
• Number Portability. While about 17 percent of respondents indicated that they would switch their subscription to a different carrier if they could hold on to their number, the data does not indicate that number portability will yield a significant change in subscriber churn. Subscribers underestimate their propensity to switch carriers With only 15 percent claiming that they plan to switch carriers, it is apparent that subscribers underestimate their own propensity to switch, given that carrier churn rates average over 25 percent annually without number portability.
4:30:06 PM 
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