Data now more important than minutes when choosing a mobile deal
It's not good to talk, say UK mobile phone owners, more than a quarter (26%) of whom chat for less than 30 minutes per month. Not so long ago, choosing the best smartphone deal meant scouting out the package with as many minutes as possible, but now data is king, according to recent research from uSwitch.com, the price comparison and switching service.
Far from chatting for hours on the blower, almost a quarter (23%) of Brits are browsing the web for more than five hours each month, compared to just 9% making or receiving calls for the same duration. And this behaviour is reflected in what mobile users are looking for in a new contract. The next time they upgrade, they'll be sourcing the package that will give them the greatest data allowance, very sensible as almost three quarters (73%) would be lost without web access via their phones, while a further 71% would be in a pickle without email function.
In fact, almost a third of Brits (32%) have an allowance of less than 300 minutes per month and a meagre 11% have opted for contracts with unlimited minutes. So it's fitting that a sizeable 25% of mobile users estimate that they use less than a fifth of their allowance of minutes each month, while less than one in ten (8%) uses more than 80% of their talk time.
Equally significant is the fact that nearly three in ten (29%) use their minutes allowance primarily for quick chats with friends and family of under five minutes each, while 12% only use the call function of their phone in emergencies.
However, Brits are still talking to friends and family - they're just doing it in different ways with three quarters (75%) using texts and 41% email. One in ten of us (13%) uses Apple's FaceTime video messaging to communicate with our loved ones, with a further 16% preferring to chat via Skype - both of which rely on data.
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, says: "The death knell for mobile minutes has tolled. British consumers are voting with their feet and - far from searching for deals with generous minutes packages - are actively looking for more data.
"With the advent of new methods of communication in the last few years, we're spoilt for choice when it comes to how we stay in touch with our nearest and dearest. But we're no longer finding it quite so good to talk. As much as we love them, it can now be more convenient - not to mention cost-effective - to use technology such as Skype, email and instant messaging services like WhatsApp, particularly if people make the most of free Wi-Fi where available.
"The way we connect with one another is changing quickly, in business and in our personal lives alike. It's now up to networks to respond to this shift by providing mobile owners with an attractive - and affordable - selection of deals offering data, while it's equally vital that consumers make sure they choose a plan which best suits their needs. Checking your previous bills and comparing the latest deals online before upgrading can help you identify the most suitable bundle of minutes, texts and the all-important data allowance for how you use your phone - a move which can easily help you save money."