Mobile Interest Continues Despite Recession

Although advertising and market research budgets are often the first things businesses cut back on when the economy takes a nosedive, new research suggests that the current recession has experienced something different.

 

In fact, market research is currently challenging this past trend.

 

Keith Wallace, managing director of the market research portal www.telecomsmarketresearch.com, explains why we are seeing such a difference this time around.

 

“This is the fourth major recession we have endured in over 20 years of trading. In all the previous ones we have seen a sharp decline in business clients buying market research reports and studies, but we are seeing sales actually holding their own or increasing,” Wallace stated.

 

As the telecoms and energy sectors have experienced approximately a 15 percent decrease period-on-period, sales of finance, emerging markets and media research have increased.

 

However, the reasons remain unclear as to why sales in only some sectors have fallen while sub-sectors appear to be either ‘recession proof’ or rising.

 

Wallace points to decreasing telecoms sales in Europe as one main reason for the global decline.

 

“Looking at the telecoms sector we can see a real fall off in interest in European telecom markets with report sales an amazing 66 percent down compared to the same period last year. The notable exception with strong on-going demand for telecom market research is Africa – which given the strong continuing growth in the region – and the lack of growth or even retrenchment in other regional markets, is perhaps not surprising,” added Wallace.

 

But, Africa is not the only solid market that is showing year-on-year growth.

 

Telecoms Market Research has seen a growth in interest in MVNO’s (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), Mobile Messaging and Mobile Data.

 

Wallace noted that some of this can be attributed to the publication of studies at the start of 2009 with strong data-centric analysis which informed mobile phone operators of major market opportunities that needed to be taken advantage, regardless of the economic crisis.

 

The rising interest in MVNOs makes sense during a recession, as they are a proven way of achieving higher levels of utilization on existing mobile network infrastructure.

 

The recently published MVNO Directory recorded close to 400 operations active in this market and a further 70 branded operations acting as MVNOs. The MVNO Directory lists 90 more operations which are preparing for launch. This is strong evidence that even during the global economic downturn, there are still some very exciting opportunities that need to be taken advantage of.