A new poll from ITnews.com.au shows that only 12% of iPhone users are satisfied with their current mobile carriers.
At least 50% of the 422 respondents plan to move from their current telco provider to another that offers better networks, cheaper rates or tethering for free. The survey also found that 39% are planning to switch to another mobile device. Ovum analyst Nathan Burley told ITnews.com.au that the results are not unexpected.
“If you look at the iPhone proposition, there is not much a carrier brings to the table [beyond] connectivity. Whether you’re with Optus, Vodafone, Three or Telstra, they provide access to services and little beyond that. Apple doesn’t allow the carriers too many reasons for customers to stick with their networks. There is no real tie to the carrier from the user perspective.”
“For users, you want good connectivity from the iPhone if you’re using it for apps and browsing. So as a mobile operator, you need to continually update the network to deal with dramatic growth. The networks aren’t always ahead of the curve on that.”
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
