@ CTIA: Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA snag early '4G' mindshare

ORLANDO, Fla. – Buoyed by a never ending line of advertisements touting the benefits of “4G” consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the term, though perhaps not so sure exactly what it means other than it’s “1” better than 3G.
In light of this marketing trend, wireless carriers are beginning to stake out a hierarchy in consumer awareness of their “4G” offerings, with two of the industry’s smaller carriers claiming an early lead in the sector, according to predictive analytical firm Compete Inc.
The company noted that Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) and T-Mobile USA Inc. (DTEGY) have gained “significant mindshare” in the race to link the term “4G” with their mobile offerings.
Chris Collins, director of technology and entertainment at Compete noted that some of that early advantage is due to both operators getting to the market early with their “4G” branding. Collins noted the two operators, which are currently No. 3 and No. 4 in size, are getting 75% of the online keyword search traffic for “4G,” a share Collins noted was well below their overall market share or share of advertising spending across the wireless industry.
“Very effective, very concentrated, grabbing an early lead,” Collins noted of the two operators.
As for their larger competitors, Collins said that while Verizon Wireless (VZ) and AT&T Mobility (T) were a bit late to the “4G” marketing game, they are becoming clearer on those strategies and with their reach and marketing muscle should see an increase in consumer awareness.
“Does being first to market mean anything,” Collins rhetorically asked about the findings, “or is it just a matter of T-Mobile buying early eyeballs and over time we will see that search referral traffic reach more of an equilibrium with market share.”