The latest M:Metrics MeterDirect statistics show that Smartphone users in the UK use network operator portals more than off-portal sites. Conversely, Americans prefer Internet brands and actually show higher levels of usage than the UK. All this is interesting but isn’t that useful as there’s no way of knowing why. It just raises lots of questions.

For example, do Americans have higher usage because they find the US-centric off-portal content easier to use? Alternatively, are their phones easier to use? Then again, is it linked to data tariffs? In the US, where carriers have a great influence over what consumers can use and see on the phone, why doesn’t this influence reflect higher carrier portal traffic? In the UK, are people mainly using the network operator portal, finding it frustrating, then trying google and then just giving up? Google ranks highly in both the US and the UK. What are people actually doing? Is this searching or just email access? If it’s searching then why are the other top UK visited sites operator portals rather than searched/visited domains? Does this suggest people aren’t finding what they want? or that there is a long tail of sites people want to visit? Finally, in what way will these statistics scale when normal rather than Smartphone users use the mobile Internet?

This entry was posted on Monday, March 26th, 2007 at 9:22 pm and is filed under WAP, Mobile, Network Operators. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.