In advance of its national conference on the Digital Society, which will be held on Friday 6th September, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has today published results from its 2019 Mobile Consumer Experience Survey.
Overall, the survey results highlight the trend towards an increasingly digital Irish society. Handset ownership is almost universal across the country. The results show an increasingly engaged Irish user who is spending more time online compared to 2017, with accessing social media being the most common online activity. Half of Irish consumers are bill pay customers, with an average monthly spend of €42, including the cost of their handset. Pre-pay customers are spending €21 per month on average. Smartphones are the handsets of choice; two-thirds of smartphone owners are using Google’s Android operating system, while the remainder are using Apple’s iOS. Samsung Galaxy and Apple’s iPhone handset are the most popular amongst consumers, with younger consumers opting to replace their handsets more frequently than older consumers.
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ComReg Chairperson, Garrett Blaney said: “ComReg has issued the results of its Mobile Consumer Experience survey on the eve of our conference on the Digital Society. The survey results demonstrate how important mobile communications are to our daily lives, particularly for a digitally empowered society like Ireland. Now more than ever, electronic communications technologies permit people to connect in ways that they have never done before. The digital era is constantly evolving and is already central to our economy and society. While Irish consumers are enjoying the benefits of the digital era, they also need protections from various forms of harm while online, however, this protection should not stifle innovation. These important issues will be addressed at our conference by a panel of expert national and international speakers, drawn from a number of disciplines and backgrounds.”
Background In June 2019, ComReg commissioned Behaviour & Attitudes Ltd. to carry out a survey on the mobile services experience of Irish consumers. The survey was conducted face-to-face and included a sample of 2,838 respondents. The survey inquired about a range of topics relating to people’s experiences, ownership of different mobile services, handset ownership and people’s usage patterns and preferences. This research forms part of ComReg’s ongoing monitoring of trends and developments in the mobile consumer space.
ComReg is hosting a national Conference, titled ‘The Digital Society’ on Friday, 6th September in Croke Park, Dublin. The conference will address topics relating to consumer protection, innovation and regulation of the digital economy. Attendees will hear from a range of speakers, including Minister Richard Bruton TD, representatives from the European Commission and spokespersons for Google and Facebook. The European Commission estimates that an EU digital single market could contribute €415 billion per year to economic growth, boosting jobs, competition, investment and innovation with Europe.
