No preference for particular handset brand?
Today, consumers typically sign up for cellular service and select a phone made by a cell phone manufacturer. But soon, service providers may start offering their own brand of cell phone. Would consumers select these phones, or want to stay with the brands they know? The latest survey of cell phone users(1) by Harris Interactive shows that a slight majority (54%) of U.S. adult cell phone users say they have no preference for an existing brand or a new one offered by their service provider, while the rest differ in opinion between interest in a new brand (27%) and an existing brand (19%).
These are the results of an online survey of 1,870 U.S. adult cell phone users conducted by Harris Interactive between July 14 and 18, 2006.
About two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adult cell phone users agree that more competition among cell phone manufacturers will lead to product innovation and 40 percent believe it will ensure more choices in the marketplace. Other benefits of having cell phones and service from the same company could be increased compatibility between the handsets and the networks, according to about half (48%) of adult cell phone users, as well as overall lower plan costs (32%).