Three Quarters Of All Messages Sent Via Mobile

Emerging markets are by-passing email and choosing mobiles to communicate

LONDON – 74% of all messages globally are now sent through a mobile device, according to a new study by TNS. This is a huge increase on 12 months ago where this figure was only 59%. This trend is even higher in emerging markets where nine out ten messages now go out via mobiles.

“As mobile devices slowly take away usage share from fixed services in developed markets, in emerging markets consumers are more likely to by-pass fixed communications altogether and go straight to mobiles,” said Sam Curtis, Sector Development Manager at TNS Technology. The study reveals that in India, for example, consumers are twice more likely to have a mobile phone than a fixed line telephone.

Although emailing from a PC is still the most popular form of messaging in the developed world, there are signs that this too is changing. In Japan for instance, 40 out of 100 emails sent are from a mobile device and in North America, 69% of those using email on their mobile phone use it daily, compared to only 43% globally. This trend looks set to continue, not least because of the rise in Smartphones entering the market.

Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) is another communication technology experiencing strong growth. 13% of mobile users now use this feature globally, compared to only 8% in the previous year. The growth amongst Smartphone users is even more dramatic with an increase from 13% to 41% this year.

But once again, it is in the emerging markets that MIM has the most opportunities. In China for example, a significant 16% of mobile phone owners use MIM, which accounts for 27 out of every 100 messages sent across all technologies. When we compare this to the US, MIM penetration sits above China at 17%, but only accounts for 5 out of every 100 messages sent.

Sam Curtis continues: “This is another example of the emerging market consumer leap-frogging right to the most suitable technology. We have also seen very similar trends emerging in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. MIM’s low cost and less formal tone is ideally suited to consumers who can communicate without boundaries for the first time.

The way that consumers communicate is changing and diversifying and not one brand or service provider can claim to have effectively captured these trends and delivered the complete consumer communication experience. With stats like these, this won’t be the case for much longer. “

About GTI
TNS completed analysis of the results of its Global Technology Insight in 32 markets with more than 20,000 consumers in January 2009. The study looked into some of the most pressing themes in the telecoms industry such as the purchase process, brand commitment, usage, opportunities in the emerging markets and convergence.

TNS is a global market information and insight group. Its strategic goal is to be recognised as the global leader in delivering value-added information and insights that help its clients make more effective business decisions. TNS delivers innovative thinking and excellent service across a network of 80 countries. Working in partnership with clients, TNS provides high-quality information, analysis and insight that improves understanding of consumer behavior. www.tnsglobal.com

TNS is the sixth sense of business™.

The Kantar Group
The Kantar Group is one of the world’s largest research, insight and consultancy networks. By uniting the diverse talents of more than 20 specialist companies – including the recently-acquired TNS – the group aims to become the pre-eminent provider of compelling and actionable insights for the global business community. Its 26,500 employees work across 80 countries and across the whole spectrum of research and consultancy disciplines, enabling the group to offer clients business insights at each and every point of the consumer cycle. The group’s services are employed by over half of the Fortune Top 500 companies. The Kantar Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WPP Group plc. For further information, please visit www.kantargrouptns.com