Mobile users want more competition, says survey

Three-quarters of mobile phone users do not believe the Irish mobile phone market is competitive enough, an opinion poll today claims.

According to the survey for the 3 network, 87% would welcome a new mobile services provider in Ireland to shake up the market; 80% would welcome more choice for mobile services; and 75% believe that increased competition would lead to better value for consumers.

The survey also found 39% of consumers feel that they are offered value for money by their mobile network.

Peak rate charges (paying more for calls during the day) topped the list of features consumers found most frustrating about their mobile service providers, with more than one quarter of all respondents citing this as their number one gripe.

These are among the figures released by a survey commissioned by 3, Europe's leading video mobile (3G) operator, in the run up to its launch in Ireland next month.

The research, conducted by Lansdowne Market Research, included more than 440 face-to-face interviews in May 2005 among mobile phone users between 21-44 years of age.

Stephen Pilkington, commercial director for 3 Ireland, said: "The survey emphatically confirms mobile phone users in Ireland are crying out for more competition, better value and increased choice in mobile services," he said.

3 Ireland is owned by Hutchison Whampoa Group which also holds 3G licenses in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Norway, Sweden and the UK. In March 2005, 3 announced that it had over eight million customers worldwide.