Mobile Broadband Data Now More Important than Calls and Texts

A new consumer opinion survey of 1,649 people in the United Kingdom has found that 73% couldn’t do without internet access on their Smartphones. On top of that most people now consider their Mobile Broadband data allowance to be a more important consideration than voice call minutes and texts.

According to the uSwitch consumer opinion panel, some 43% of the respondents said that mobile data was the most important consideration when choosing their next mobile contract (41% said calls/minutes and just 17% said texts). The study also noted that 26% of mobile users chat for less than 30 minutes per month, while 23% spend more than five hours each month browsing the web on their phones.

As a comparison the survey asked respondents to think back and say which was the most important consideration the last time they chose a new mobile contract. It’s interesting to note that voice calls (minutes) topped the pack on 47%, while data trailed with 35% and texts scored 18%. Clearly mobile operators need to be mindful of the changing landscape. Today’s results could benefit data-centric operators like Three UK.