MACH Survey Highlights Need for Tablet-Specific Roaming Tariffs

MACH survey reflects incompatibility of feature phone tariffs with iPad-style devices

LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- New online research commissioned by MACH, the leading provider of hub-based mobile communication solutions, and carried out by YouGov, indicates that there could be a large increase in the number of corporate users roaming with tablet devices over the next three years, posing new challenges for businesses and operators alike. The research, which questioned 101 key telecoms decision makers within enterprises, found that 58 per cent of respondents believed that over 10 per cent of corporate users will be using tablet devices within the next three years. 62 per cent of respondents believed that this trend could pose a significant problem for their businesses due to the high costs associated with data roaming abroad.

Lokdeep Singh, Vice President, Technology & Innovation, MACH, commented: “The research shows that while businesses are clearly interested in the potential of tablets as a mobility tool, the cost of using them while roaming abroad is still a significant cause for concern. The issue facing businesses today is that the majority of roaming tariffs were originally designed for basic feature phones which did not consume much data. It is clear that this model simply does not hold for the new age of international data roaming that tablets and smartphones are ushering in.”

An additional issue facing businesses is that tablets are continually updating information, such as virus loads and operating system downloads, if not managed correctly – whether the user is aware of it or not. This can lead to IT departments facing much higher bills than expected for roaming sessions.

“If businesses are to reap the benefits of their staff using tablet devices when abroad, the very structure of roaming agreements between operators needs to change and operators need to introduce simplified, tiered pricing targeted at the tablet user segment. At present, business users are encouraged to look to alternative ways of accessing data when abroad, such as through WiFi or WiMax, in order to keep costs to a minimum,” Singh continued.

Technologies such as MACH’s Retail Roaming Solution and its new Data Roaming Engine (announced at Mobile World Congress 2011) can help operators meet this challenge by enabling them to offer bespoke tariffs based on the type of device a business wishes its employees to use abroad – such as a tablet – while also offering them with a greater transparency of cost, removing the fear of bill shock.

Paul Merry, Senior Analyst, Informa Telecoms & Media, concluded: “The findings of this research have once again underlined the disconnect between how businesses wish to connect to data when abroad and the tariff mechanisms currently available. If operators move to more flexible tariff structures, this will stimulate roaming traffic on their networks and thereby maximise an important revenue stream. With the right approach to inter-operator tariffs, everyone is a winner – the operators through increased revenue and businesses through affordable and transparent data roaming plans tailored for the latest range of mobile connected devices.”

-ENDS-

Research

This survey has been conducted using an online interview administered by members of the YouGov Plc GB panel of 320,000+ individuals who have agreed to take part in surveys. An email was sent to panellists selected at random from the base sample according to the sample definition, inviting them to take part in the survey and providing a link to the survey.. YouGov Plc normally achieves a response rate of between 35% and 50% to surveys however this does vary dependent upon the subject matter, complexity and length of the questionnaire.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 101 adults with major Telecoms decision-making involvement/ influence in their organisation. Fieldwork was undertaken between 17th - 20th December 2010. The survey was carried out online.

About MACH Retail Roaming Solution

MACH Retail Roaming Solution is an integrated platform designed to enable mobile operators to better manage their retail roaming business. The solution provides a comprehensive combination of integrated business intelligence, re-pricing and roaming policy control, which together maximise the revenue and profit opportunity of a retail roaming business.

About MACH Data Roaming Engine

MACH Data Roaming Engine, due to be launched in Q2 this year, is designed to help Mobile Network Operators design and implement tariffs for subscribers wishing to access mobile data when abroad. The solution allows operators to offer services highly tailored to the needs of their subscribers, driving uptake while reducing the final cost to the end user and empowering them to select the services they want to use abroad.

About YouGov

YouGov is an international, full-service research company primarily using online panels to provide quantitative and qualitative research across a range of specialisms. YouGov operates a quality panel of over 320,000 UK members representing all ages, socio-economic groups and other demographic types, with excellent response rates.

YouGov has been acclaimed as the UK’s most accurate opinion pollster and dominates Britain’s media polling. YouGov is one of the most quoted agencies in Britain and has a well-documented and published track record illustrating the success of its survey methods and quality of its client service work.

For further information visit www.yougov.com

About MACH

MACH connects and monetizes the telecom world. It provides its 650 operator customers with roaming, interconnect, messaging, and direct billing solutions, all integrated with its $10bn / year operator settlement capability. We are the largest provider of data and financial clearing solutions for wireless roaming and operate the globe’s largest and fastest growing open connectivity roaming hub, Link2One. We insert the operator in the content and application value chain and serve the reseller and wholesaler community with our A2P messaging solutions. Headquartered in Luxembourg, MACH has offices in 12 countries and employs more than 1,000 people worldwide. Our customers include Orange, Telefonica, T-Mobile, Telus, Verizon Wireless and Microsoft, as well as enterprise messaging customers like KLM. For more information, visit www.mach.com.

CONTACT:

MACH
Eileen Preston, Global PR Manager
+44 0207 959 8119
Eipr@mach.com

KEYWORDS:   United Kingdom  Luxembourg  Europe

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Technology  Consumer Electronics  Telecommunications  Mobile/Wireless

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