Santa Clara, CA, USA – Mobile operators are investing significantly in the speed, performance and availability of mobile broadband networks. These are worthwhile and timely initiatives, according to a recent Vasona Networks, Inc.® survey of UK smartphone users.
The user survey found that high expectations for flawless wireless data performance are widespread:
- 68% of respondents expect good mobile broadband performance all of the time, with no hiccups or periods of unavailability;
- 62% cite waiting for web pages to load as the most frustrating aspect of slow mobile data speeds;
- Consumers blame their mobile service providers more than any other party when apps don’t work as expected;
- Only 33% would recommend their service provider to a friend looking for great mobile broadband performance; and
- Nearly a quarter of consumers (24%) cite performance as the most important factor when choosing a mobile operator; it came second only to price as a consideration.
“With consumers increasing their reliance on mobile broadband to stay connected and access apps on the go, the desire for stellar service has increased right alongside demand,” says John Reister, vice-president of marketing and product management for Vasona Networks. “The need to keep pace with consumer expectations continues to motivate operators to fine-tune their networks for better experiences that encourage increasing subscriber usage.”
The Vasona Networks survey of UK smartphone users mirrors the results of a survey the company conducted of consumers in the United States earlier in 2014. This includes placing primary blame on the mobile operator when apps don’t perform as expected. In total, 47% primarily suspect their mobile operator in these situations, and only 27% suspect the app maker is at fault. The remaining respondents identify their operating system or smartphone maker as the likely cause of issues.
Many consumers seem to feel that their mobile operator might not provide the best mobile broadband experience. When asked if they would recommend their mobile operator to a friend seeking great mobile broadband performance, 67% of consumers would either take a neutral position or advise against considering their operator. A third of respondents (33%) would recommend their provider to a friend.
Web browsing appears to be the most performance-sensitive application for consumers, with the majority (62%) of respondents citing “Web pages loading slowly or not at all” as a primary frustration when mobile broadband is slow. Other popular responses included waiting for an app to start or function (14%), video freezing or not playing smoothly (12%) and interrupted audio or video chat (8%).
Founded in 2010, Vasona Networks, Inc. works with global mobile network operators to achieve better mobile broadband experiences. The company’s edge application controller, the SmartAIR™1000, and the SmartVISION™ analysis suite, raise operator capabilities to deliver better subscriber experiences on 3G and 4G networks, and to understand network activities for better long-term planning. The company has received investments from Bessemer Venture Partners and New Venture Partners. Vasona Networks is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.
Vasona Networks, which provides traffic management and visibility platforms for mobile networks, conducted the survey online from November 24 – 27. The questions were fielded by 1,045 UK online consumers who indicated that they use a smartphone with a mobile data plan. Vasona Networks will exhibit its solutions at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on March 2-5.
