Optus reveals insight into mobile broadband users

One-third to use more data in the future.

A third of mobile broadband customers report that their mobile data needs are increasing, according to research commissioned by Optus Wholesale, which also recorded that 17 percent of pre-paid customers recharge their accounts more than once a month,

The research, which surveyed mobile broadband customers only, showed that 49 percent of respondents used wireless broadband as their primary form of access to the internet, compared to 50 percent who said they mostly used fixed services for that purpose.

The remaining percent used dial-up.

About 80 percent of respondents were postpaid users. In the prepaid category, 60 percent recharged once a month - the usual period for expiry of download quota - and 17 percent were recharging "more than monthly", according to Optus Wholesale acting group managing director Gavin Williams.

Most respondents - 84 percent - used their mobile broadband services at home, although a long list of other locations for use also surfaced, including at the homes of family and friends (48 percent) and at a restaurant or cafe (29 percent).

"It's evidence that respondents see the benefits of mobility by virtue of the range of other locations," Williams said.

Most wireless broadband users - some 86 percent of respondents - used a laptop or netbook with a 3G wireless dongle to gain access to services. The next highest users were those with an iPhone, Blackberry or other smartphone (14 percent).

About one in ten had a netbook with an embedded SIM card, while only seven percent of respondents used a laptop with a tethered smartphone acting as the modem.

Most customers were happy with their usage rates although 35 percent said usage would increase.  The top three applications accessed were email, the web and general banking.