U.K. Telecommunications Regulator OFCOM Turns To Metrico For Survey of Mobile Handset Performance

U.K. telecommunications regulator OFCOM has released its findings on the state of mobile network coverage across that country, including a survey of mobile handset call performance conducted by Metrico.  OFCOM prepared its report as part of an initiative included in its 2011/2012 Annual Plan, to help improve mobile coverage in the U.K. as the dependence on these vital communications services continues to increase.  Metrico was commissioned to provide an objective evaluation, from the subscriber perspective, of call performance over a range of smartphones and feature phones, using the company’s industry-leading Fit4Launch Call & Voice Measurement System, Nomad.

Read OFCOM's complete summary as well as the detailed reports here.

Wireless Week Webcast: Hear From The Experts — 4G Device Outlook

On September 14, 2011, Wireless Week will host a webinar featuring Metrico Wireless and ABI Research.

As 4G offerings expand in the marketplace, service providers and device manufacturers are challenged to deliver a differentiated value proposition. Networks can support high-quality apps, video, gaming and enterprise collaboration, but do devices have the capabilities to match? It's still early days, but professionals in the field already have a good idea about the key performance criteria impacting the 4G subscriber experience; how devices on the market stack up; and what carriers and manufacturers will need to do to fully realize the 4G vision. Find out what's working, what's on the horizon — and what successful future 4G offerings will look like.

Moderator:

Andrew Berg, Editor, Wireless Week

Panelists:

Kevin Burden, Vice President and Practice Director, Mobile Devices group, ABI Research

Amit Malhotra, Vice President of Marketing, Metrico

Register here.

The Next Threat to Mobile Device Performance: Malware?

FORTUNE magazine reports on the growing threat of malware targeting mobile devices. The rapid adoption of Android devices has made that operating system the primary target, with three out of 10 Android owners at risk this year, and between half a million and one million Android devices already infected in the first half of 2011. Carriers are leading the charge to develop network-based responses to this problem; AT&T maintains "a Manhattan-based lab of about 40 researchers who are working on a mobile security product that AT&T hopes to sell to both enterprise customers and consumers."

U.K. Smartphone Adoption Tracks U.S.

We previously reported on a study of U.S. smartphone adoption, which found that 35% of adults owned such a device. It seems the trend has crossed the Atlantic, as the BBC reports a finding by U.K. telecommunications regulator Ofcom that one-third of adults in that country use smartphones.

Among other interesting facts:

• 58% of adult males owned a smartphone compared to 42% of females [Metrico note: hmm, how does that average out to one third?]
• While adults' top brand preference was Apple (32%), among teenagers Blackberry was the winner (37%)
• Facebook was the most visited website on handheld devices, with 43 million hours spent on it in December 2010.

Read more here.