Mobile user satisfaction down: study

The overall satisfaction score of mobile handset users has declined for the first time in three years, according to IDC's India Mobile Handset Usage and Satisfaction Study 2007. Even the top brand in consumer satisfaction, Sony-Ericsson, has seen a drop. Motorola is the new number two company, displacing Nokia to the third place. Motorola was rated as the 'most improved' brand.

Internal memory and entertainment features are the two parameters on which satisfaction has come down significantly. "Handsets with higher memory and good entertainment features are still priced quite high. Entry-level phones are relatively poor on these parameters, contributing to decline in satisfaction scores", said Kapil Dev Singh from IDC India.

Since higher memory and good entertainment features are the key drivers for upgrading to a new handset, the handset makers need to review the premium charged for the higher end mobiles, he added.

Barring the top three vendors, all other brands fared below the industry average.

The study says an integrated digital camera, music player and stereo FM radio are the three main features that typically drive users to upgrade their handsets.

"Indian mobile user is willing to spend Rs 6,900 on an average for (upgrading) handset," said Shailendra Gupta of IDC India.