1068_1New research commissioned by Globys (www.Globys.com), a leading provider of contextual marketing solutions for the worldwide telecommunications market, on the usage habits of mobile data users in Australia has revealed

those applications that drive the highest frequency of mobile Internet usage.

The research indicates that social networking, transportation, news, sports, weather, and lifestyle are the categories of information most valued by early adopters of the mobile Internet in Australia.   The research reveals that these types of applications are utilized most frequently because they enable fast, easy, on-the-go information-seeking and decision making at critical moments in time.

"Many telecom operators are having to evolve their strategies from focusing solely on getting people to sign up for data plans to retaining them in order to protect data revenues," said Duane Edwards, Senior Vice President of Globys.

"To increase usage and boost customer loyalty, operators must find new ways to introduce the value of data services to those who have not yet realized it, but the question is often 'how'. What our research does is identifies which applications drive the most frequent usage and why.  This insight along with predictive modeling helps us deliver contextually relevant mobile Internet experiences targeted to individual subscribers."

What Globys has found is that helping operators deliver a more personalized and sticky mobile Internet experience can not only encourage trial, but also drive ongoing usage and lower churn of data services.

Specifically Globys' research in Australia identified:

  • the details of how the mobile Internet gets used in real life situations
  • which URLs and apps underlie the motivation for frequent mobile Internet usage
  • the highest value categories of mobile information used most frequently by early adopters
  • and finally, the emotional and social stakes of getting real time information on mobile devices

The research findings reveal not just which mobile data services are accessed most frequently, but among whom, when, where, and most importantly why.  For instance, in Melbourne, weather apps are accessed daily as a fast, easy means of checking the current forecast and deciding what to wear, as well as the best mode of transportation.

What Globys' research uncovered was that weather apps are particularly compelling because something emotionally important is at stake, and because the mobile device delivers weather information much faster than a morning television program.

  • The most popular Social Networking app, Mobile Facebook, enables users to stay connected to family, friends and colleagues, regardless of where they are. The heaviest Facebook users are young, single 18 – 30 year olds and access the application daily in the mornings and after work, most often while in transit.
  • The most popular Weather applications include: Weather.com , WeatherZone, Oz weather, Pocket (PKT) Weather. Women 25 – 35 years of age mostly access these applications in the mornings before work to know to how to dress for the day and decide on the best mode of transportation.
  • The most popular Transportation applications include: Tripview, Tram Tracker, Metlink, and are mostly accessed by 18 – 34 year old women in the mornings before work and in the afternoons after work to identify bus and train locations and obtain updates on delays and cancellation to reduce the stress of uncertainly and feel more in control over their commute.
  • The most popular News applications include:  SMH, The Age, The Australian, Herald Sun, 9MSN, ABC and are mostly used by 25 – 35 year old men and corporate women on public transportation when on the go access is highly desirable.  They read headlines in the mornings in order to feel informed and be able to participate in conversations with family, mates and colleagues.
  • The most popular Sports applications include:  AFL, NRL, ESPN, ESPN soccernet, Foxsports, Sportal.com, Footytips.com.au and are primarily used by male ARF and rugby fanatics 20 – 50 years of age. The men access the applications Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings to extend their engagement in the sport and build anticipation for the next game.  They also access the applications before games on Thursday and Friday afternoons to stay informed about favorite teams, scores and players, and to appear knowledgeable in conversations with mates.
  • The most popular Restaurant applications include:  AroundMe, UrbanSpoon, Good food Guide, Menulog and are mostly used by 20 – 30 year old women in relationships on Friday evenings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Women use the applications as virtual concierge services to locate restaurants in close proximity and evaluate them via customer comments and ratings, thus greatly enhancing the ease of finding high quality restaurants at a specific moment and location.

Globys uses rich customer data and analytics to help telecom operators deliver more relevant content and services that provide a personalized mobile Internet experience for their subscribers. The company's newly launched Mobile Occasions solution proactively delivers contextually relevant products, services and content to the mobile device at the specific time a customer is most likely to make a purchase. The end result – consumers discover the value of the mobile Internet in their everyday lives while operators increase penetration and reduce churn of data services.