A new survey published by Taylor Nelson Sofres this week reveals that user awareness of Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS or ‘3G’) is low amongst potential users of the network despite its imminent launch across Europe and North America (see Forecasts).
TNS reports that around 80% of mobile phone and internet users in 13 key European markets felt they were ‘unaware’ or ‘poorly informed’ about the roll out of the 3G network and related new technology. This figure rose to 90% in the US.
The most popular applications of the new technology, amongst those who expressed an interest in using the services, was sending and receiving email and accessing local information or news.
Awareness of the new network was highest (44% felt ‘well’ or ‘fairly’ informed) in Germany, where Deutsche Telekom are pioneering the 3G network in partnership with BT, and lowest in the USA (10%).
The survey also revealed that SMS usage is considerably higher in Europe than in America. In the US, just 6% mobile users send at least one text message per week compared with 47% in Germany and 52% in the UK.
