Disloyal mobile phone customers create increased competition in market

The survey, conducted by Oracle, also reveals that globally 83% of mobile users would consider switching to a non-traditional company such as Google, Sony or Facebook were they to offer the same pricing and quality as their current service provider.

"We surveyed 5,000 subscribers [globally] and there are some things that come out as quite common across the world. There is a core commonality there in terms of the type of expectations they have and the way they relate to the service they are using the mobile devices," Gordon Rawling, senior marketing director, Oracle tells AMEinfo.com.

The survey also produced some interesting findings for the Middle East region. One of the standout points for this area was that 62% of mobile phone customers said they use two or more mobile phones. This region also stood out for the different ways users are utilising their mobile phones. "Customers are increasingly using their phone for much more aside from voice. That is an area where the Middle East is leading, in terms of the multi-use of handsets," explains Rawling.

The statistics back this view up. According to the survey, 97% of customers in the Middle East have used their phone to send a text message, compared to the global figure of 86%. Meanwhile, 93% of Middle East users had used their phone to take a picture, higher than the global figure of 84%.

Large number of Middle East users would switch services

The Middle East specific figures revealed that 69% of users would consider switching service provider, should they be offered better pricing. This may be cause for concern for operators in some Middle Eastern countries, where new licenses are set to be granted in the future.

"I think it's a two sided coin. The very high percentage of people who are happy is good news, and the very high percentage of people who are so disloyal means any competition is inevitably going to create churn. So now is the time to be reinforcing aspects in terms of you still need the best handsets, you still need to understand customers and at the same time have the reliability of service," says Rawling.

Increased competition could improve standards in Middle East telecoms sector

Analysts in the region also believe that increased competition could improve standards in the Middle East telecoms sector. "We have seen countries where the regulator has opened up the market and you have seen far more positive growth. Because the operators are far more pro-active in offering services and they are looking at customer driven aspects. But even during the economic crisis the telecoms sector was stable," reveals Wasim Khan, telecom sector leader, Ernst & Young.

"The concern will be there because of the geography and the population, but bringing in more players in the long term is definitely healthy," he adds. Should a third operator be introduced into the UAE in the future, Khan states that the high penetration rate would mean extra competition would not necessarily reduce one provider's share in the market.

The figures of the survey indicate that mobile customers have become more flexible than ever when choosing a service provider. With the overall lack of loyalty in the market, it is now up to the providers to capture and maintain the interest of their customers.