Tailor Broadband Services According to Consumer Activities, Says IDC

Philippines, 2 May, 2008 – Although the Philippines has a relatively young market when it comes to residential broadband share, local broadband is expected to enjoy strong take-up in the near future. According to IDC's latest study, " Broadband Consumer Survey: Identifying Key Broadband User Segments in the Philippines (Doc# PH20410SP, February 2008)", more and more residential subscribers are moving away from narrowband and migrating to broadband.

From the survey, IDC identified four segments of urban consumer broadband users in the Philippines by using cluster analysis. They are Laggard Users; Entertainment and Social Fanatics; Information and Community Junkies; and, Early Adopters. Online usage by the Laggard Users is focused on basic Internet activities such as online search and accessing of personal emails; while the Entertainment and Social Fanatics go online to supplement communications within their peer systems and to further expand their social network systems. The Information and Community Junkies are characterized by their regular use of online data mining, as well as search-, research- and educational- community forums. The Early Adopters are one of the first to try new services and are also heavy users of basic online services such as online search and accessing of personal emails.

Results of this study shows that nearly half of all urban broadband consumers are categorized as Entertainment and Social Fanatics. They use the Internet mainly to access emails, visit online communities, blog and make online search. As broadband migration continues, IDC anticipates more profile variations to emerge from these current classification of broadband users.

"IDC encourages Service Providers (SPs) to package and position their services according to the activities and practices of these online users. Essentially, this involves the continuous effort to learn about one's customers since their needs and requirements will become more complex in time. Although it may still be some time before a shift from wireline Internet to mobile Internet becomes prevalent, other players from significant segments like hardware, software, and online content should prepare themselves for emerging opportunities. With the take-up of mobile trends, IDC expects mobile advertising, mobile social networking and mobile online search to come along in the future, " says Catherine Foronda, Market Analyst, Communications Research, IDC Philippines.

For more information about this research or to make a purchase, please contact Elizabeth Shunmugam at +603-2169-7536 or eshunmugam@idc.com. For press enquiries, please contact Sasithorn Sae-iao at +66-2651-5585-87 (Ext. 113) or sasithorn@idc.com.

From 1 May to 15 June 2008, a webcast on "Identifying Key Broadband User Segments in the Philippines" will be available for viewing. Register today at http://www.idc.com.sg/webcast/wcaph-080429.aspx to listen to this webcast presented by our expert analyst, Catherine Foronda, Market Analyst, Communications Research, IDC Philippines.

About IDC

IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. Over 1,000 IDC analysts in 110 countries provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends. For more than 43 years IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting http://www.idc.com/ .

Contact

For more information, contact:
Sasithorn Sae-iao
Events & Marketing Executive
Tel: 66-2651-5585-87 Ext. 113
Email:sasithorn@idc.com