Cross Marketing recently conducted a survey into iPhone5 satisfaction levels, and interestingly choosing to contrast satisfaction levels between users of the two carriers who offer the phone, au and SoftBank.
Demographics
Between the 19th and 21st of July 2013 1,000 iPhone5-owning members of the Cross Marketing monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 500 of the users had au by KDDI as their carrier, and 500 had SoftBank. The ages of the sample ranged from 18 to 59 years old, but no further demographic information was provided.
SoftBank have been putting a lot of effort into stressing how their network has improved – indeed, I have previously presented statistics showing how good they are – and the message seems to be getting through with satisfaction ratings being higher in almost every category as seen below.
Here SoftBank explain the concept of “Connecting”, assisted by Shinji Kagawa of Manchester United and Bob Sapp, an ex-American Football player:
Mobile Marketing Data Labo recently conducted a survey looking at mobile phone carriers, focusing on the big three in Japan, docomo, au and SoftBank, who have over 95% of the market between them.
Demographics
Between the 31st of May and 5th of June 2013 1,200 smartphone-using members of the MMD Labo monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample contained 400 people who used each of the main three carriers, docomo, au and SoftBank, but further demographics were not presented.
I agree that SoftBank’s image really has improved recently; MMD Labo have previously shown that SoftBank is the fastest 4G carrier, so this survey shows that the message is getting through to the general public, and, of course, having Shinji Kagawa helping out doesn’t hurt – note that the ring-blowing beluga whale is Shinji’s father:
This will most likely be the last proper survey for 2012, a look by MMD, Mobile Marketing Data Laboratory, at mobile carrier satisfaction levels, as reported by japan.internet.com.
Demographics
Few demographics were given, just that on the 18th and 19th of December 2012 664 members of the MMD monitor group between the ages of 20 and 59 and who owned a smartphone from either docomo, au or SoftBank completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The results were listed alongside the results of a similar survey from May 2012.
Note that docomo only has seen a significant drop in satisfaction with signal strength and talk area; perhaps one reason is that there has been a number of network outages over the summer, and I still see occassional dropping out of my 3G signal in and around train stations at rush hour. Read the rest of this entry »
The new-to-me survey marketing company IID (Interface In Design) Inc looked at the iPhone 4S, although the excerpt reported on by japan.internet.com focused more on comparing the two carriers offering the device, au and SoftBank.
Demographics
The only figures offered was that there were 1,000 users from each of the two carriers, au and SoftBank.
A few years ago SoftBank bought their mobile carrier from Vodafone; at that time the popular nickname for them was Borderfone (a pun that works better with Japanese pronunciation) due to the poor coverage area. Looking at the figures below, one can see that things still haven’t relatively improved for SoftBank! Indeed, looking at the data below, I can only presume that SoftBank users are cheapskates who are willing to put up with dodgy service just to save a little on their monthly bills, and of course get a free bicycle:
japan.internet.com recently reported on goo Research’s third look at mobile phone and smartphone upgrade needs, with the report focusing on iPhone 4S-related issues.
Demographics
Between the 3rd and 8th of February 2012 1,000 mobile phone-using members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.6% of the sample were female, 1.6% in their teens, 12.1% in their twenties, 27.1% in their thirties, 32.5% in their forties, and 26.7% aged fifty or older.
However, as the old saying goes, a woman without an iPhone is like a dog without a bicycle, or something like that:
With the release of the iPhone 4S in Japan, SoftBank are no longer the only mobile company offering Apple’s phone, but now au from KDDI have joined them, and this survey from goo Research, reported on by japan.internet.com, into mobile phone upgrades will not make pleasant reading for the SoftBank management.
Demographics
Between the 21st and 27th of October 2011 exactly 1,000 mobile phone (including smartphone) owning members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 51.6% of the sample were female, 1.2% in their teens, 11.3% in their twenties, 29.8% in their thirties, 28.0% in their forties, and 29.7% aged fifty or older.
I’m now getting much keener on a smartphone – perhaps the coming January I’ll finally make the leap? Read the rest of this entry »
With Skype already available on many smartphone, and indeed with Japan’s second-largest carrier, au, now preloading it onto many phones, this survey from goo Research looks at awareness of Skype and other associated issues.
Demographics
Between the 12th and 17th of November 2010 1,070 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.9% of the sample were male, 16.2% in their teens, 18.3% in their twenties, 21.8% in their thirties, 16.1% in their forties, 15.4% in their fifties, and 12.2% aged sixty or older.
In Q2, I’m not sure if people were fully aware that Skype to Skype may be free (excluding packet charges), but Skype to non-Skype mobile phones requires payment. Furthermore, in Japan public wireless is rather thin on the ground, so even if the majority of mobile phones in Japan have it installed, calls are still going to have to be paid for more often than not. Read the rest of this entry »
Between the 17th and 19th of December 2008 402 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54.7% of the sample were male, 15.4% in their twenties, 45.0% in their thirties, 32.3% in their forties, and 7.2% in either their teens or aged fifty or older.
Given SoftBank’s image in the title, it does seem appropriate that they supply Mickey Mouse phones.
With most phones now crammed full with the latest features, most manufacturers are putting more effort into the design aspect of their phones as the differentiating feature. To see how consumers perceive the look of their mobiles, MyVoice conducted a survey into mobile phone design.
Demographics
Over the first five days of September 2008 15,502 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% in their teens,l 15% in their twenties, 36% in their thirties, 29% in their forties, and 19% in their fifties.
The first phone that I felt was stunning in design terms was the Sharp Aquos with the rotating screen that could change from portrait for standard email use to landscape for One Seg television watching. That phone first came out on SoftBank, but it’s now offered by all three major carriers. To my overseas readers – have Sharp licenced that technology to any foreign manufacturers? I seem to remember hearing that Panasonic’s push-button opening for clamshells has been licenced overseas, but Panasonic seem to keep that feature to themselves as a differentiating factor for the domestic market.
In the graph, I kept Sony-Ericsson separate as some of their hardware is worldwide, some domestic only. Read the rest of this entry »
The SoftBank adverts are my favourites, although there is always the risk of over-exposure with the dog even recently featuring in a photo book and a DVD. However, this recent survey from BlogCh showed no signs of flagging popularity when they asked about mobile phone television commercials.
Demographics
Between the 15th and 17th of July 2008 370 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service successfully completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.0% of the sample were male, 14.6% in their twenties, 49.2% in their thirties, 28.6% in their forties, and 7.6% in their teens or over fifty.
I wonder if they’ll have the SoftBank dog using the iPhone? Given that another survey today indicated that the euphoria has passed, will they trot out their dog to flog some more kit? Will they introduce a new character? They had five rather unpleasant cats recently but they only lasted a week or so. Oh, and here is Dante Carver, the black guy who plays second fiddle to a white dog.
Q3 also brings me to another pet hate (as it were) with the SoftBank mutt coming tops as a fireworks partner. Back in the UK, in the run-up to November the 5th they’d be public service advertisements and other reminders to keep pets indoors to avoid them getting spooked by fireworks, but I’ve never heard of such a thing over here.
Cross Marketing recently conducted a survey into iPhone5 satisfaction levels, and interestingly choosing to contrast satisfaction levels between users of the two carriers who offer the phone, au and SoftBank.
Mobile Marketing Data Labo recently conducted a survey looking at 
japan.internet.com recently reported on goo Research’s third look at 
With the release of the iPhone 4S in Japan, SoftBank are no longer the only mobile company offering Apple’s phone, but now au from KDDI have joined them, and this survey from goo Research, reported on by japan.internet.com, into 
With 
With most phones now crammed full with the latest features, most manufacturers are putting more effort into the design aspect of their phones as the differentiating feature. To see how consumers perceive the look of their mobiles, MyVoice conducted a survey into 
The SoftBank adverts are my favourites, although there is always the risk of over-exposure with the dog even recently featuring in a 
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