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Hong Kong, July 26, 2001 - Recent survey findings reveal that Hong Kong mobile phone users on average changed 1.6 mobile phones over the last two years, according to the Public Opinion Programme (POP) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU).
The study, "Mobile Phones and Users' Self Perception", polled a total of 1,535 Hong Kong Cantonese-speaking residents aged 18 or above who currently possess a mobile phone. The survey included three key areas: the pattern of mobile phone usage, relations between consumer characteristics and mobile phone usage, as well as demand for after-market services. It was sponsored by Nokia (Hong Kong) Limited, but designed and conducted independently by the research team of the Public Opinion Programme.
The survey also studied other patterns of mobile phone usage in Hong Kong. Hong Kong people were generally satisfied with the mobile phone they possessed. Results showed that the average score was 73.0 with Nokia scoring the highest (75.3) among the most popular brands on a scale of 0-100. Nokia also stands out as the clear market leader with 52% of the respondents said they used Nokia phones. About three-quarters of mobile phone users have changed their phones over the past two years, the average number of change-overs for these users being 2.2, or 1.6 for all mobile phone users, meaning that people would normally change their phone around once every year. The two main reasons for people to change their mobile phone were damage of the old one (31%) and replacement of an outdated style (29%). Nearly 30% of respondents would simply sell their old mobile phone for money, and an almost equal proportion of them said they would give it to their relatives or friends (24%), or keep it for future use (23%).
On the psychological dimension, the study revealed some important findings for researchers to understand mobile phone preference and usage. The survey findings demonstrate the importance of using a three-dimensional approach to study consumer behaviour which involved the interaction between consumer's characteristics, perception of their mobile phone and situational characteristics. Although some previous research reports only focused on either social or psychological aspects of mobile phone users, this survey has showed that all these factors play a significant role in explaining and predicting mobile phone preference and usage.
In the survey, 73% of respondents were aware of after-market services (for example, enquiry hotline and maintenance services), and considered them important or very important (78%). Contrary to their importance, however, results showed that the behavior of people in Hong Kong was rather heterogeneous. When they did not know how to use certain functions of their mobile phones, 41% of them would read the user manual, while 26% would consult their friends and 19% would avoid those functions altogether, rather than seek advice from network operators and mobile phone suppliers. For maintenance services, the picture was different with the majority of them (72%) seeking advice from authorized service providers.
Dr. Robert T.Y. Chung, Programme Director of the Public Opinion Programme, said, "As the first academic study on the psychological dimension of mobile phone users, this survey provides useful information for the academia and telecommunications industry to study mobile phone usage in Hong Kong. This survey has highlighted some important social and psychological issues for us to follow in future academic studies on the telecommunications industry in Hong Kong."
Respondents were successfully interviewed by the interviewers of the research team through telephone survey during the period of May 8-20, 2001. The effective response rate was 66.4% and the standard error due to sampling was no more than 1.3%. Relevant figures and methodological notes are now available at the HKU POP website (http://hkupop.pori.hk).
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The Public Opinion Programme (POP) was established in June 1991 at the Social Sciences Research Centre in the University of Hong Kong to collect and study public opinion on topics which could be of interest and value to academics, policy-makers, the media, and the general public. In order to strengthen our position as independent provider of opinion data for the media, and to take on an educational role on matters relating to opinion research, POP was transferred to the Journalism and Media Studies Centre (JMSC) in the University of Hong Kong effective from May 1, 2000.
Since its establishment, POP has conducted more than 400 surveys, many of which were commissioned or sponsored by outside bodies. For academic surveys, areas mainly covered electoral studies, media development, political issues, social issues and youth studies. A variety of research designs are used for POP surveys, including telephone, postal, door-to-door surveys and group interviews. Regular project collaborators include leading media companies, government bodies and public organizations.
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A leader in the cellular industry in many markets in Asia Pacific, Nokia provides innovative, industry-leading and market relevant technology and products to around 20 diverse markets in the region.
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is one of the most broadly held companies in the world with listings on six major exchanges.
You may visit the Nokia Asia-Pacific website at http://www.nokia-asia.com or the Nokia Group website at http://www.nokia.com.
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