02.Results of our member survey
Mobile phones are an integral part of our lives for most people – there are currently more than 22 million mobile phone subscribers in Australia, and on average we upgrade to a new handset every 18 to 24 months. It would seem reasonable to expect a phone service that's easy to use, with great value plans and good customer support. Unfortunately, as many of us are aware, this is not always the case.
Over the years, CHOICE has given its infamous Shonky Award to various sectors of the mobile telecommunications industry, highlighting the frustrations mobile phone users face – with convoluted phone plans, variable network performance and multi-year contracts. So it may come as a shock to discover that we’ve seen fit to create an award for best value mobile phone service. However, this award is not determined by CHOICE, but voted for by our members.
For instance, what if CHOICE members were dissatisfied with all the mobile phone network providers? A distinct possibility, given the mobile network industry’s performance over recent times.
Close to 7000 members rated their mobile phone network provider on a number of areas, including:
- Reception quality
- Overall quality of services
- Value for money
- Likelihood of staying with provider
- Likelihood of recommending provider
- Customer support
Of the factors we asked our members to rate, value for money and likelihood of recommending provider were used to determine the overall best value mobile phone service, with the winner earning a level of satisfaction from its customers significantly higher than the competition.
Our survey also asked CHOICE members where they go to for advice when choosing a mobile phone service. Not surprisingly, only a small proportion of members cite promotional material and TV advertising as having influence. Instead, they favour online forums, CHOICE and friends for their information.