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    SMS? Yes pls

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    Lucrative youth market prefers traditional mobile phone services, says research – 16-19 years olds only want simple mobile phone services such as SMS and voicemail

    According to research from Mobeon Labs, a division of Mobeon, the Swedish-based mobile messaging specialist, the majority of young people[1] are content with simple messaging services. Equally worrying for mobile marketers trying to attract this age group, is the discovery that most teenagers have little knowledge of the range of services offered by carriers, and struggle to distinguish between competitors.

    “It is clear that the industry has misread young people’s attitudes towards mobile phones,” said Birgitta Olson, Head of Mobeon Labs. “They want to keep it simple with voice and SMS, and carry a fashionable phone that reflects their personality.”

    “Carriers should also be aware that the majority of people choose the handset over the network operator and have little understanding of what offerings are out there. Marketers will have their work cut out, firstly to convince consumers that they actually need new mobile technologies, and secondly to differentiate their products from those of their rivals.”

    “We’re looking at ‘Generation Me’, an age group that demands simple ways to keep in constant contact. They want to organise social events with friends, arrange lifts with parents and pass on gossip. Why send a video message when a quick text can be sent in seconds?,” added Olson.

    Mobeon says it will use the research results in product development and delivering valuable and interesting services to end-customers.

    [1] Qualitative survey in association with Augur Marknadsanalys used focus groups in Sweden aged from 16 to 19