AGOURA HILLS, Calif.-Orange continues to dominate the U.K. mobile market in terms of customer satisfaction, according to a study by J.D. Power and Associates titled, “1999 U.K. Mobile Customer Satisfaction Study.”
Orange received the highest customer satisfaction index score at 116 for the second year in a row, based on call quality/coverage, value/image and customer service, according to the report. Cellnet received a score of 99, Vodafone scored 96 and One2One scored 94.
Call quality and coverage represent the greatest influence on satisfaction, said J.D. Power. Orange, followed by Cellnet, showed the greatest improvements in this area, said the report. In the value/image and customer service areas, Vodafone improved the most of all four network operators.
Other less important keys to customer satisfaction include the handset, customer-focused communications, availability of convergent services, price/plan options and billing.
The study also found customers in the United Kingdom overwhelmingly have embraced prepaid mobile phone service, with three out of five customers who have had mobile service for less than one year on a prepaid plan.
In all, about 29 percent of U.K. mobile households subscribe to a prepaid plan. Vodafone and One2One have been the most successful at attracting prepaid customers, according to J.D. Power.
“Pre-pay offerings have eliminated barriers to entry for many British customers, making mobile phone service more popular than ever,” said Peter Dresch, director of telecommunications market analysis at J.D. Power and Associates. “A growing number of consumers in the U.K. have clearly made mobile service an important part of their daily routine.”
The U.K. market has experienced a 60-percent increase in mobile service penetration during the last year, according to the study. About 40 percent of U.K. households subscribe to a mobile service this year, compared with 25 percent of households in 1998.
In addition, multiple mobile phone use in households increased from 27 percent last year to 40 percent this year.
U.K. customers are warming up to the idea of using their mobile phone as the primary phone in the home. According to the study, more than 60 percent of mobile phone users indicated they would be willing to use their mobile phone from home if rates were comparable to wireline rates. More than half said they would replace their wireline telephone completely.
The study is based on interviews with 1,800 households throughout the United Kingdom.
