With mobile Internet users significantly interested in accessing, and paying for public Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) services, cellular carriers may be in the perfect position to capitalize, according to In-Stat/MDR
In a recent survey of a select group of early adopters of wireless Internet services, the high-tech market research firm found that virtually all respondents were at least somewhat interested in using WLANs in public places, with 19% already using them and 33% extremely interested in utilizing them in the future.
"With their billing skills and substantial existing customer bases, cellular providers are in a unique position
to take advantage of this interest" says Becky Diercks, a
Director at In-Stat/MDR. "By offering public WLAN services,
carriers could ultimately increase their Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), something that has definitely proved a challenge in the current economic environment."
Converting those who are interested into actual users will be dependent on whether service providers are able to price the services affordably (preferably with flat fees) and
make them broadly available.
The establishment of roaming
agreements between providers will be crucial to success.
Among the findings
www.instat.com

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