Study: Coverage still king

Wireless subscribers still covet broad network coverage-and will switch carriers to get it, according to a new survey of mobile users by comScore Networks.
About 27 percent of survey respondents who had switched to a new carrier cited “better coverage” as their primary reason for switching, comScore found. Switching to get lower prices was the second most popular reason overall, although a majority of T-Mobile USA Inc. subscribers cited lower pricing as their primary reason for switching to the carrier.
ComScore found that 50 percent of those surveyed used text messaging and 30 percent used their mobile devices to send and receive e-mails. Meanwhile, only 17 percent subscribed to mobile Internet services-while 34 percent said they had the option but didn’t subscribe, and 37 percent said they either didn’t have the option or were unsure if they did.
Among those who did use their phones to access the mobile Web, e-mail was the most popular application, followed by ringtone downloads, accessing weather information, and getting news and sports info. Accessing financial information, paying bills and shopping via a mobile device ranked as the least popular activities, used by 10 percent or fewer subscribers.
Satisfied customers were the least likely to churn: only 6 percent of “highly satisfied” customers said they were likely to switch carriers at the end of their contract, while 76 percent of “highly dissatisfied” customers were eager to leave. Of those disgruntled users, 44 percent said that they were “very likely to switch carriers prior to the end of their contract,” according to comScore, “signifying that the deterrent effect of penalty fees only goes so far.”
The survey examined the responses of about 1,700 Internet users who had cellular phones in late October and early November.