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56 Wire & Cable ASIA – March/April 2017
Telecomnews
A comprehensive global
survey finds ‘dynamic
digital consumers’
everywhere, eager for
services powered by
artificial intelligence
Between October and November
2016, the Dublin-based management
consultancy Accenture conducted
an online survey with approximately
26,000 consumers in 26 countries:
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China,
Czech Republic, France, Germany,
Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Mexico, Netherlands, Poland,
Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore,
Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the
United Kingdom and the USA.
Norway early in the New Year was set to start switching off its FM radio
network, in what reporters Joachim Dagenborg and Alister Doyle of Reuters
called “a risky and unpopular leap to digital technology” that would be
closely watched by countries mulling whether to follow suit. The shutdown of
the Frequency Modulation network, introduced in the 1950s, was to begin in
the northern city of Bodoe on 11th January.
By the end of 2017, all Norwegian FM broadcasts will be closed in favour of
DAB, which supporters say carries less hiss and clearer sound throughout
the large nation of five million people cut by fjords and mountains. According
to Reuters (5th January), critics of the move claimed that the government was
rushing it, putting at risk many people who would miss emergency warnings
broadcast via radio. Of particular concern were the two million cars on
Norway’s roads that are not equipped with Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB)
receivers.
According to the results of an opinion poll published by the daily Dagbladet,
66 per cent of Norwegians opposed the loss of FM, with 17 per cent in favour
and the rest undecided. But, influenced by the ability of digital networks to
carry more radio channels, Parliament in December gave the final go-ahead
for the switchover.
Digital radio in Norway provides eight times more radio stations than FM,
at the same cost. The current system of parallel FM and digital networks,
each of which cost about $29 million, is seen as sapping programming
investment. Messrs Dagenborg and Doyle, writing from Oslo, noted that a
smooth transition to DAB could encourage other countries to move ahead.
Switzerland plans to give up FM for digital in 2020, and Denmark and Britain
are among those considering a similar shift.
Britain reportedly plans to review the need for a switchover once digital
listening reaches 50 per cent. According to Digital Radio UK spokeswoman
Yvette Dore, that point could be reached by the end of this year.
Ø Ole Joergen Torvmark, head of Digital Radio Norway, which is charged
with easing the Norwegian transition, said that cars were the “biggest
challenge”. Mr Torvmark told Reuters that a good digital adapter for an
FM car radio costs $174.70.
Norway becomes the first nation to relinquish FM for
digital, with several others preparing to do likewise
The sample in each country
was representative of the online
population. Ages of respondents
ranged from 14 to 55 and over. The
survey, and related data modelling,
quantify consumer perceptions of
digital devices, content and services,
purchasing patterns, preference and
trust in service providers, and the
future of their connected lifestyles.
In support of its conclusion that
“digital disruption is reinventing
consumer expectations,” Accenture
summarised its findings in “Dynamic
Digital Consumers,” available on its
website. Here, abridged and lightly
edited, are the highlights:
Ø After dropping to a three-year low
last year, consumer purchases
of smartphones are expected to
rebound in 2017, fuelled by better
security, new functions, improved
performance, and device refresh
schedules. More than half (54 per
cent) of consumers surveyed said
they plan to buy a smartphone this
year, up from 48 per cent in the
previous year’s survey.
Chinese consumers are the
main drivers of this upturn, with
three-quarters (74 per cent) of
respondents in China saying they
intend to purchase a smartphone
in the coming 12 months, up from
less than two-thirds (61 per cent)
in last year’s survey. The number
of respondents in India and the
United States who said they plan
to buy a smartphone in the coming
12 months also increased by
double digits over last year, to 79
per cent in India (from 68 per cent
last year) and 52 per cent in the
US (from 38 per cent last year).
Ø The leading driver of purchase
intent is ability to access the
newest and most innovative
features and functions, cited
by 51 per cent of respondents
in this year’s survey, compared
with only 41 per cent last year.
Another reason consumers are
opting to buy new smartphones is
inadequate performance of their
existing devices, cited by 45 per
cent of customers this year – up
from 33 per cent last year.
Ø For the first time, the annual
survey polled consumers about
their intentions to buy digital
voice-enabled assistants. Powered
by artificial intelligence, the
products recognise such human
voice commands as “Turn on the
light” and “Play music” and answer
such questions as “What time is
it?” and “What is the temperature
outside?” While only four per cent
of respondents said they own such
a device today, two-thirds of those
(65 per cent) said they use the
device on a regular basis, showing
strong acceptance of this new
technology.
As the AI technology powering
these services has improved
dramatically, younger consumers
are leading in the adoption of
voice assistants on smartphones,
with more than four in five 14- to
17-year-olds (84 per cent) saying
they either use this technology
already or are interested. BigStockPhoto.com • Photographer: Krishnacreations