Nearly a third of broadband households don’t trust or don’t want or don’t need Wi-Fi services to augment what they already have, a new survey released Monday at the World Mobile Congress shows.
On the other hand, close to 70 percent do want Wi-Fi, especially IF the service provides cost savings, according to research firm Parks Associates.
Among those who are not included to want Wi-Fi, a perceived lack of security is a major reason. Some 38 percent say Wi-Fo is unsafe, leaving their data vulnerable to hacking.
Another 40 percent say they don’t need Wi-Fi because they are satisfied with their current wireless provider.
“Despite substantial consumer interest, Wi-Fi-based mobile phone services need to overcome significant hurdles, specifically the fears of data insecurity. Consumers are also worried about the inconvenience of searching for Wi-Fi hotspots and experiencing gaps in public Wi-Fi coverage,” said Harry Wang, director of health and mobile produce research at Parks Associates. “At MWC, we expect to see roadmaps from leading mobile operators to build better next-generation networks with mixed use of Wi-Fi, small-cell, and 4G/Pre-5G cellular technologies to launch both consumer and enterprise mobility services.”
The report,”360 View: Mobility and the App Economy,” as found:
- Smartphone penetration has reached 86% of U.S. broadband households.
- 39% of smartphone owners use some sort of voice recognition software such as Siri or Google Now.
- 36% of smartphone users use Wi-Fi calling.
