Cellular Connection Problems Decreasing

J.D. Power and Associates is not on my usual tracking list, but a recent study on improved cellular call quality caught my eye. The study, which surveyed 22,730 cellular subscribers in the U.S., found that the number of problems getting connected dropped in half to 3 percent, while the average time spent on a cellphone increased 7 percent to roughly 6.9 hours a month.

Kirk Parsons at J.D. Power said, "Improving network quality is a big financial incentive for wireless carriers, as customers experiencing at least one call quality problem are three times more likely to say they will 'definitely' switch carriers in the future."

The U.S. cellular industry is still very voice-centric, which explains the current marketing messages from the top carriers. However, with call quality improving to a point where it might not be a clear-cut differentiator, it'll be interesting to see when the carriers start emphasizing what their data networks can offer in terms of content and services...

via Mobile Pipeline