J.D. Power Reports: Switching Traditional Mobile Phone Devices Is Greatly Impacted by Level of Usage Activity, as Ease of Operation Factor Is Key in Satisfaction

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Oct. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- High usage activity among traditional mobile phone customers, particularly among those who are more likely to text, increases the likelihood to switch devices, according to the J.D. Power 2013 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study^SM—Volume 2 released today.

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KEY FINDINGS

• Among customers who text at least 30 times within a two-day period, 49 percent say they "definitely will" or "probably will" switch to a different traditional mobile phone or to a smartphone in the next 12 months. In comparison, only 32 percent of customers who text less than 10 times in a two-day period say the same.
• Overall satisfaction with traditional mobile phone devices is lower among customers who text 30 or more times in a two-day period than among those who text fewer than 10 times (725 vs. 740, respectively, on a 1,000-point scale).
• Ease of operation is a key factor impacting traditional mobile device satisfaction, as pressing/activity keys, navigation and ease of texting/messaging are critical operational activities among customers who frequently use their device.
• The primary reason for purchasing a traditional mobile phone device is cost/price (57%), followed by feature set (15%) and style/design (14%).
• Overall customer satisfaction with traditional mobile phone devices is 735.

"It's very interesting to see the correlation between switching intent and how frequently customers use their traditional mobile phone device," said Kirk Parsons, senior director of telecommunications services at J.D. Power. "It's very critical for OEM brands to provide devices that are easy to use, especially when texting, given the typically small physical size of traditional mobile phones, compared with much larger smartphone devices where touch screens dominate the communication experience." 

The 2013 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study—Volume 2 is based on experiences evaluated by 1,929 traditional device customers who have owned their current phone less than one year. The study was fielded between February and August 2013. The study measures customer satisfaction in four factors: performance (29%); ease of operation (26%); physical design (24%); and features (21%).

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5 – Among the best
4 – Better than most
3 – About average
2 – The rest

Media Relations Contacts
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Syvetril Perryman; Westlake Village, Calif.; 805-418-8103; [email protected]

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SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates