Access to sponsored-data plans could substantially — and positively — affect consumers’ content consumption and open a substantial revenue opportunity for sponsors and mobile operators in Asia.
That news comes by way of a recent Syniverse-commissioned primary research study on Asia. The research indicates that consumer brands and mobile service providers there could tap into an annual revenue opportunity of as much as $6 billion by 2019 if they subsidized mobile data services.
This would address a perennial problem in many Asian markets: people there cannot afford what are expensive data plans on their mobile phones.
“In the sponsored-data model, companies sponsor usage for specific content on behalf of subscribers of various mobile service providers, allowing subscribers to access this content without being charged for the usage,” notes a report summary shared with MMW.
The Syniverse survey queried 3,500 people in seven countries across Asia to determine attitudes of consumers there. A major finding? Consumers are “generally willing to accept the branding of content, advertising and promotional material in return for free data.”
Specifically, 62 percent of surveyed respondents said they would accept the branding of content and advertising in return for free data. About 49 percent revealed they’d be willing to accept coupon offers from data use sponsors, 42 would agree to offers from entertainment companies, and 31 percent from bars, restaurants, and cafes.
“Content providers, mobile service providers, and consumers have been stuck in a no-win situation when it comes to mobile data usage,” said Mary Clark, Chief Marketing Officer at Syniverse. “Consumers want to use more data along with richer mobile engagement, and operators and content providers are missing out on the revenue that this usage could deliver.”
The bottom line appears clear: operators and their partners should be motivated to sponsor data plans as “a way to drive revenue as well as consumer engagement.”
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