POWAY, Calif.-A study conducted by Technology Trends in eight U.S. markets found 65
percent of consumers with monthly bills higher than $75 were using phones from at least two different wireless
companies.
“In most cases, this literally means that a carrier is battling its competition daily-right there in the
hands of its best customers,” said C. Hunt Eggleston, president of Technology Trends. “This situation only
amplifies the intensity of the competition carriers have to face, and it should serve as a reminder that golden customers
have the ability to easily churn at any moment.”
Technology Trends also discovered 72 percent of the wireless
users it questioned switched carriers in the past three years, mostly because of poor coverage. Those questioned also
cited finding a “better deal” as another reason for switching.
Eggleston sees the high annual new
customer rates many of the wireless companies report as misleading.
“We have to be careful to make sure the
carriers who are getting the customers are actually keeping them for a significant period of time. From what we can see,
it doesn’t look like carriers are doing a good job keeping their customers. Lenders on Wall Street beware,” said
Eggleston.
