Wireless

Customer satisfaction with pay TV providers remains relatively low, although it has increased slightly after remaining flat for 3 consecutive years, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The index for subscription TV services rose a couple of points from last year's 66 to 68 on ASCI's 100-point scale. By comparison, satisfaction with cell phone manufacturers stands at 76, fixed line phone service providers are at 74, and wireless phone service providers are at 72. Among the information sector categories, only Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have a lower score than pay TV services this year, debuting on the index at a score of just 65. Read more »

The volume of smartphone impressions on the Millennial Media platform is increasing, but not as quickly as impressions from non-phone connected devices, represented primarily by tablets, according to [download page] Millennial Media's latest Mobile Mix report. In Q1, the company reports that non-phone connected devices accounted for 25% of total platform impressions, up from 20% a year earlier. That 5% point gain came entirely at the expense of smartphones, which dropped from 75% to 70% share of impressions. Feature phones, somewhat surprisingly, kept steady at 5%. Read more »

Texting is the most common activity on a mobile phone after talking, accounting for roughly 1 in every 7 minutes spent on a mobile phone, per data from Nielsen. Recent research from Experian Marketing Services suggests that 18-24-year-old smartphone owners send and receive an average of almost 4,000 text messages per month. But texting may be on the decline: last year, Americans texted each other 2.19 trillion times, down 4.9% from the prior year, after at least 3 consecutive years of growth, according to [pdf] survey results from CTIA-The Wireless Association.. Read more »

A few studies have emerged recently looking at showrooming behavior - referring loosely to the practice of checking out a product in-store only to to buy it online at a lower price. How widespread is this practice? Which retailers are most at risk? Are retailers winning the battle or losing it? This article takes a look at some of the more interesting highlights from these studies, from Placed, the IAB, JiWire, and ClickIQ. Read more »

Smartphones counted as the leading devices on the Millennial Media network in 2012, according to [download page] the company's year-in-review report. With 75% share of total ad impressions, the smartphone share grew by 7% points from 2011. Non-phone connected devices also grew their share, up 5% points from 15% to 20%, fueled by rapid adoption of tablets. Despite all that change in device mix, the OS mix remained remarkably constant, with Android (48%, up 1% points) and iOS (32%, down 1% point) the clear leaders. Read more »

Cisco has released new data from its Visual Networking Index (VNI) Forecast, containing a host of compelling statistics about global mobile data and traffic. Among the interesting findings is a breakdown of the top applications for data consumption, as measured by the Cisco Data Meter during Q4 2012. According to that analysis, video streaming and communications applications such as YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix accounted for exactly half of data consumption on tablets, and 45% on smartphones. Read more »

10 verticals grew their mobile ad spending on the Millennial Media platform by triple-digits in Q3, reveals the network in its latest S.M.A.R.T report [download page] released today. The auto industry - the largest advertising vertical in the US in Q3 - led the charge, increasing its spend by a whopping 574% year-over-year, after also boasting the biggest hike in Q2. The travel (+431%), education (+421%), and sports (+417%) verticals also bumped up their mobile ad spending in Q3, though telecommunications remained the top spender for the quarter. Read more »

Verizon has released new data from its "Borderless Lifestyle Survey," exploring consumer attitudes to an always-connected lifestyle. Of the many findings, attitudes towards real-time interaction with TV shows prove particularly interesting, as emerging technologies provide another potential activity for so-called "second screeners." Specifically, 35% of respondents indicated an interest in real-time games and challenges with shows via a second screen, and 32% expressed an interest in the ability to control or influence a TV show's plot via a mobile phone or tablet. Read more »

Fueled by the rapid adoption of tablets and their increased availability, non-phone connected devices (e.g. tablets, e-readers) are accounting for an increasing share of connected device ad impressions on the Millennial Media platform, according to the network's November Mobile Mix report. In Q3, 1 in 5 impressions came from non-phone connected devices, up only slightly from Q2's 19%, but marking a 6% point upward swing from Q3 2011. Read more »

Research has shown that mobile owners tend to shy away from making big-ticket purchases using their devices. But, a new study [pdf] from JiWire indicates that mobile owners are becoming more comfortable spending larger amounts when purchasing from their device. Based on a survey conducted in Q3, the study finds that 49% of respondents would spend more than $100 on a purchase and two-thirds more than $50. That's up from 38% and 53%, respectively, in Q3 2011. Read more »