GWS conducted consumer research that resulted in a thorough examination of U.S. consumer communication habits, including behavioral shifts during COVID-19, consumer satisfaction with their wireless carriers and mobile devices, and variances based on demographics such as location (urban, suburban, and rural) and age group. The data showed a dynamic story of the products and technologies that Americans are turning to during the pandemic, as well as rapidly evolving priorities and preferences shaped by more time living, working and communicating from home.

Click the following link to see the key takeaways from GWS’s survey of 5,000 U.S. smartphone users: Teleworking during the pandemic

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With that in mind, Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) conducted a survey of 5,000 US smartphone users in which consumer communication habits, including behavioral shifts during COVID-19 were thoroughly examined. The data shows that if consumers could only keep one product/service during the COVID-19 stay-at-home mandate, the top choice was their smartphones (45%), with other choices ranking significantly lower: PCs (19%), streaming services like Netflix (12%), their TVs (10%), and near the bottom, their cars (7%).

While carriers are currently meeting subscribers’ communication needs, Americans are turning to new products and technologies during the pandemic signaling that their needs and priorities will continue to evolve as we live, work and play from home. The data shows specific trends emerging from consumer behavior during the pandemic.

Voice calling reigns supreme

Carriers should take note that, despite the broader use of video calling and conferencing, voice calling remains vital to workforce communications during the pandemic. When asked which one mobile phone capability consumers would keep for at home teleworking, the top choice was voice calling (33%), followed by texting (28%), then video calling and conferencing (20%), emailing (15%), and, lastly, team collaboration (for example, Slack) (4%).

Video conferencing keeps us connected

Zoom was the top choice among video calling and conferencing tools during the COVID-19 stay-at-home mandate, with 24% of consumers picking it as their favorite, followed by Facebook Messenger (21%) and Apple FaceTime (18%).

Zoom also experienced the greatest increase in consumer adoption, and GWS found it to be the most widely used video calling and conferencing app. Before the pandemic, Zoom was used by 20% of consumers at least once a month. That figure more than doubled to 42% during the stay-at-home mandate. Facebook Messenger, on the other hand, was the most used conferencing app (35%) before the pandemic, yet it only rose to 38% during the stay-at-home mandate, making it the second most popular behind Zoom.

Buying takes a back seat

While mobile devices have been essential to consumers’ day-to-day lives for years, people are becoming increasingly reliant on smartphones during the pandemic as the lines between work and life are become increasingly blurred.

Surprisingly, though, most are sticking with their current mobile devices: 72% of consumers have not purchased a new smartphone yet this year. Of this group, half said the reason is they are satisfied with their current devices. Going forward, only 38% of consumers plan to buy a smartphone in the second half of 2020; 26% plan to do so in 2021 and 11% in 2022 or later.

Americans have undergone a fundamental shift over the past six months. All aspects of life have blended together and, as a result, how we work, learn, play and live due to the COVID-19 pandemic is now vastly different. Fortunately, carriers have risen to the challenge of supporting consumer needs. The lion’s share of consumers (84%) said their carriers have met mobile communications needs in terms of wireless performance at least most of the time. In fact, when needs are further broken down by network coverage, voice calling quality and reliability, and data throughput and reliability, 80% or more of the respondents felt their carriers met each of these needs most or all of the time.

In addition, when given the option to stay with their current operators or switch to another one, more than three-quarters (76%) of rural and suburban residents and more than half (51%) of urban residents would keep their current operators because they offers the services and/or devices they want.

This high level of customer “stickiness” can potentially be, in part, attributed to continued, strategic investments from carriers that align directly with consumers’ evolving needs and expectations. Carriers have focused on upgrading their network infrastructure to lay the foundation for 5G. This investment is not only helping meet consumer needs today, but will also enable networks to evolve alongside consumer demand in the coming years, supporting traffic increases, ensuring network reliability and increasing coverage areas.

In fact, as carriers continue to upgrade their networks, voice quality and other calling metrics have improved across all operators, according to GWS’ 2020 nationwide test of mobile networks. In addition, over the past three years network upgrades have resulted in data throughputs increasing by an average 62% across all carriers (AT&T increased over 100%, Verizon and Sprint over 50%, and T-Mobile 29%).

Carriers have handled the shift to large-scale telework well, and were poised to do so because of long-planned advances in networks and technologies. As the way Americans work continues to transform while we search for some semblance of normalcy, consumers will keep turning to new products and technologies that hold the promise of making life easier. Carriers that continue to focus on quality and reliability by implementing new functionality and technologies will be better poised to meet their customers’ needs.

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At 45%, smartphones were the product that respondents would keep if they had to choose only one. Smartphones were followed by PCs (19%), streaming services (12%), TVs (10%), a car (7%) and a tablet (4%). Two percent – likely those with the best sense of humor — said that alcohol would be their choice.

COVID-19 Teleworkers Communications Report
The study assessed behavioral shifts that include the COVID-19 pandemic and more typical consumer concerns, including, according to the introduction, “consumer satisfaction with their wireless carriers and mobile devices, and variances based on demographics such as location (urban, suburban, and rural) and age group.”

The leading video calling and conferencing app is Zoom, which was identified first by 24% of respondents. It was followed by Facebook Messenger (21%) and Apple FaceTime (18%). Respondents in the 18- to 24-year old category prefer FaceTime, while those in the 35 years-old and up group lean toward Zoom.

Two graphics included with the COVID-19 teleworkers communications report broke down calling and conferencing apps by location (urban/suburban/rural) and before and after the onset of the pandemic. Zoom led in all location categories (with the biggest portion, 29%, in suburbia). Its use at least once per month increased from 20% pre-COVID-19 to 42% after the pandemic arrived.

There seems to be at least some stability in devices and carriers. Seventy-two percent of respondents have not purchased a new phone this year, half of whom have refrained because they are satisfied with what they own. The survey found that 38% likely will buy a new phone during the second half of this year, 26% next year and 11% in 2022 or later. Eighty-four percent said their carrier met their need always or most of the time and 80% or more of respondents think that their carrier is meeting network coverage, voice call quality/reliability and data throughput/reliability all or most of the time.

Seventy-six percent of both rural and suburban respondents would keep their current service provider because the provider offers the services and/or devices they want.

There is a scramble to support the WFH segment during the pandemic. A number of service providers, including AT&T, Cox, Comcast, and Consolidated Communications have launched services that provide traditional office connectivity to residences.

The GWS COVID-19 teleworkers communications report was based on a survey of 5,000 smartphone users  conducted by Toluna between June 16 and July 3.

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For most American consumers (45%), that one thing is their smartphone, according to a survey of 5,000 people by Global Wireless Solutions. Respondents’ second most-popular choice was the PC (19%), followed by streaming services like Netflix (12%), their television (12%) and their car (7%). In good news for livers everywhere, 2% of people would choose to have alcohol above all else.

With the COVID-19 pandemic radically reshaping how much people rely on technology to stay in touch, learn and work, GWS’ survey asked U.S. smartphone users about videoconferencing applications, smartphone replacement plans and how the pandemic is impacting tech use.

“The data shows a dynamic story of the products and technologies Americans are turning to during the pandemic, as well as rapidly evolving priorities and preferences shaped by more time living, working and communicating from home,” GWS said.

Among the other findings:

-Users reported high levels of satisfaction with their wireless carriers. GWS said that 84% of survey respondents reported that their carrier was meeting their mobile communications needs “always” or “most of the time.”

“When needs are further broken down by network coverage, voice calling quality and reliability, and data throughput and reliability, 80% or more of the respondents felt that their carrier met each of these needs most or all of the time,” GWS noted. In addition, 76% of rural and suburban voters said that if they had the option to switch, they would stick with their current carrier, while only about 51% of urban residents said the same.

-72% of respondents had not purchased a new smartphone so far this year, and half of them said it was because they were happy with their current device. Meanwhile, 38% of those surveyed planned to buy a new smartphone in the second half of this year, 26% said they would get a new one next year and 11% planned to wait until at least 2022.

-When asked for a single mobile phone capability that consumers would prioritize for at-home telework, the top choice was voice calling (33%), followed by texting (28%), then video calling and conferencing (20%).

“The coronavirus pandemic has driven sweeping and most likely enduring shifts in the technologies and tools that individuals consider most essential for remote work,” said Dr. Paul Carter, founder and CEO of GWS. “Our survey not only captures how essential the smartphone has become to consumers’ day-to-day lives, but offers instructive insights on changes in consumers’ communications preferences and habits that have occurred during this unprecedented time.”

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DULLES, VA – August 20, 2020 –  While video calling and conferencing usage has surged since the onset of the COVID-19 and expanded telework, Zoom has experienced the biggest gains – leaping ahead of Facebook Messenger, Apple FaceTime and Microsoft Skype to become the most popular service – according to a survey of 5,000 U.S. smartphone users released today by Global Wireless Solutions (GWS).

The GWS survey is a thorough examination of consumer communication habits, including behavioral shifts during COVID-19, consumer satisfaction with their wireless carriers and mobile devices, and variances based on demographics such as location (urban/suburban/rural) and age group. The data shows a dynamic story of the products and technologies Americans are turning to during the pandemic, as well as rapidly evolving priorities and preferences shaped by more time living, working and communicating from home.

Key GWS Survey Findings and Themes:

Most video calling and conferencing applications see usage rise during the pandemic but…Zoom was the top choice among video calling and conferencing tools during the COVID-19 stay-at-home mandate, with 24% of survey respondents picking it as their favorite, followed by Facebook Messenger (21%) and Apple FaceTime (18%). Zoom also experienced the greatest increase in consumer adoption, and GWS found it to be the most widely used video calling and conferencing app. Before the pandemic Zoom was used by 20% of consumers at least once a month or more. That figure more than doubled to 42% during the stay-at-home mandate. See Table 1 for more details.

In terms of preferences, younger respondents age 18-24, picked Apple FaceTime (36%) as their favorite, while older age groups (35+) preferred Zoom and Facebook Messenger. And while Zoom was also favored in the urban and suburban areas, Facebook Messenger was chosen by rural consumers as their most favorite video calling and conferencing app, followed by Apple FaceTime, and then Zoom. See Table 2 for more details.

While video calling and conferencing usage surged, voice calling still reigns supreme.

Despite the broader use of video calling and conferencing, voice calling remains vital to workforce communications during the pandemic. When asked which one mobile phone capability consumers would keep for at home telework, the top choice was voice calling (33%), followed by texting (28%), then video calling and conferencing (20%), emailing (15%), and lastly team collaboration (for example, Slack) (4%).

Consumers remain attached at the hip…and fingers…to their smartphones

Mobile devices have long been core to consumers’ day-to-day lives, and that has certainly been the case during the pandemic. If consumers could only keep one product/service during the COVID-19 stay-at-home mandate, the top choice for consumers was their smartphone (45%), followed by their PC (19%), a streaming service like Netflix (12%), their TV (10%), and near the bottom – their car (7%). Yet perhaps surprisingly and on the positive side given these stressful times, alcohol ranked at the bottom – only 2% of consumers would consider it essential to keep their liquor cabinet stocked more than anything else.

Consumers not only rely heavily on their smartphone during the pandemic, but most are sticking with their current mobile devices:

• 72% of consumers have not purchased a new smartphone yet this year, and of this group half said the reason why is that they are satisfied with their current device.
• Going forward, 38% of consumers plan to buy a smartphone in the second half of 2020, 26% plan to do so in 2021 and 11% in 2022 or later.

 Behind every successful smartphone is a strong carrier

Expanded telework (approximately 42% of the U.S. labor force now works from home), has tested wireless carriers and, according to our survey, carriers have done a great job at meeting consumer expectations in the U.S.

A whopping 84% of survey respondents said that their carrier has met their mobile communications needs in terms of wireless performance ‘always’ or ‘most of the time.’ In fact, when needs are further broken down by network coverage, voice calling quality and reliability, and data throughput and reliability, 80% or more of the respondents felt that their carrier met each of these needs most or all of the time.

In addition, when given the option to stay with their current operator or switch to a new one, more than three-quarters (76%) of rural and suburban survey respondents would keep their current operator because it offered the services and/or devices they want; meanwhile barely half (51%) of urban residents would stick with their current operator for the same reasons.

Wireless carriers delivering on what matters most to consumers

Strong consumer satisfaction suggests that carriers are delivering on capabilities most important to their subscribers. In particular, the three most important factors for consumers when selecting a carrier are (in order): network coverage, reliability, and then network speed. Further down (less important) on the list are considerations like monthly contract cost, device availability, and device cost (see detailed results in Table 3).

“The coronavirus pandemic has driven sweeping and most likely enduring shifts in the technologies and tools that individuals consider most essential for remote work,” said Dr. Paul Carter, Founder and CEO at GWS. “Our survey not only captures how essential the smartphone has become to consumers’ day-to-day lives, but offers instructive insights on changes in consumers’ communications preferences and habits that have occurred during this unprecedented time.”

Table 1. Which video calling and conferencing apps do you occasionally or frequently use (once a month or more)

Table 2. Which of the following video calling and conferencing apps is your favorite:

* WhatsApp was also selected as a favorite by 15% of urban respondents.

Table 3. Which of the following would you say are the most important factors when selecting a cellular operator (whether that means staying with your current operator or choosing a new one)?

Methodology and notes to editors:

All survey figures, unless stated otherwise, are from a study commissioned by GWS and conducted by Toluna. Total sample size was over 5,000 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between June 16^th and July 3^rd, 2020. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of Americans (aged 18+).

About Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.:

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Global Wireless Solutions has set the industry standard for network benchmarking, analysis and testing. Its proprietary OneScore network ranking combines high-level network testing data with real-world network usage scenarios to make the results of testing relatable and easy to understand. Working with some of the world’s largest wireless network providers, GWS offers high-quality network data and engineering analysis through a suite of benchmarking products, services and OneMeasure diagnostic apps that include drive, venue and in-building testing. At last count, GWS has driven 13 million data collection miles for its customers. For more information, visit gwsolutions.com and follow us on Twitter at @gwsolutionsinc.

Media Contact:

Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

[email protected]

703-661-7000

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