Do Political Differences Reflect in Wireless Usage?
Plus, Handicapping the Presidential Election Based on Data Consumption
Jun 20, 2012, 02:55 ET
HOUSTON, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Validas, the world leader in mobile intelligence, has unleashed a dramatic study linking politics and wireless data consumption habits. Using VERA, Validas' patented "Big Data" analytics engine, the company isolated the average data consumption per wireless user across the 50 states (including Washington, D.C.) using a sample size of over 10,000 wireless bills. Overlaid onto a political map of America based on the 2008 Presidential election, the results suggest that Americans of all political stripes consume wireless data similarly, and may suggest trends to spot for the upcoming 2012 election.
Validas found that wireless consumers from Republican states averaged 447 Megabytes (MB) per month, while those in Democratic states were virtually a dead heat at 449MB per month. "It's striking that Democratic and Republican states could be so close in how their citizens engage the wireless technology that is integral to many people's lives," said Dylan Breslin-Barnhart, VP of Communications at Validas.
Besides commonalities, could the wireless usage map also point to differences that might indicate who becomes the next President? Of the Top 10 states with the most average data usage per person, six voted Democratic (including Washington, D.C.) and four voted Republican in 2008. If those numbers switch this autumn, is that a good sign for Romney?
Or consider the two "swing" states in the Top 10: Missouri (Republican, 539MB average usage per person) and Virginia (Democratic, 654MB average usage per person). In splits like this, will the Presidency again go to whoever wins the swing state with greater average usage per person?
One thing for sure—processing the complex wireless data behind these questions is something VERA was built for.
About Validas
Mobility is everywhere and connectivity is a major—and growing—expense. Validas is the global leader in Mobile Intelligence. Our patented VERA platform transforms mobile billing data into actionable information in seconds, allowing every mobile user the ability to identify trends, compare patterns and change behavior. Open data. Better decisions. Smarter transparency. The Validas solution applies to all vertical ecosystems: enterprise, consumer and, uniquely, the carrier. VERA allows Mobile Operators to better serve clients, bringing new operating principles, thought leadership and advanced technology to the carrier-client relationship. Validas is privileged to currently serve one-third of the Fortune 500. For more information, visit http://www.validas.com.
SOURCE Validas