How data delivers a better-connected life

Three is at the forefront of Ireland's digital evolution. We carry more mobile data on our network than all other operators combined – simply put, data is in our DNA. However, we recognise that it is not the bits and the bytes that matter, it's how our customers use that data every day to stay connected that really counts.

Last year, we commenced a year-long, four-part research project with Amárach Research called the Three Connected Ireland Report, which explores the role smartphones play in our daily lives, how we are behaving as consumers and how we engage with Government.

We recently published the third phase of this research and it uncovered some very interesting findings about how smartphones are enriching our lives, consumer mobile shopping habits and our growing appetite for more digital public services.

The connected life

It is often suggested that we have become slaves to our smartphones, but when we asked people how they felt about their phones, the findings strongly contradict that assumption.

Smartphones are becoming a life-enhancer, with more than two thirds of respondents (67 per cent) saying their smartphone helps them communicate more with friends and family and 47 per cent saying their smartphone helps their relationships with their kids. Meanwhile, 44 per cent of those surveyed say their smartphone helps them to switch off from work and more than half (55 per cent) believe mobile phones support studying and learning new skills, while 32 per cent read books on their mobile.

A year has passed since the new EU roaming regulation came into effect, which gives mobile phone customers a ‘roam like at home’ experience, and it’s noteworthy that more than a third of respondents (37 per cent) feel they are now using more mobile data while travelling in the EU. Three’s customers are embracing roaming in the EU even further and are now using a staggering 220 per cent more data when travelling in the EU, compared with this time last year.

The connected business

More and more people are using their smartphone to shop, and the importance of a mobile-friendly website can’t be underestimated – more than one fifth of respondents (21 per cent) use their smartphone to purchase goods or services online two or three times per month, while almost one in 10 (9 per cent) shop on their mobile weekly. The popularity of Irish websites is growing compared to foreign sites. At present, the share of Irish websites in online purchases now stands at 49 per cent – up from 42 per cent in the final quarter of 2017.

When it comes to accessing banking apps, 71 per cent of those polled say they trust that their phone is secure – this rises to 82 per cent among 16-24 year olds and 78 per cent of both 25-34 year olds and 35-44 year olds. This trust clearly carries through when examining how respondents would like to use mobile banking, with 78 per cent of respondents greatly valuing mobile banking. The attraction of using smartphones to make minor payments is also growing. Forty-nine per cent of respondents in the Q4 2017 poll valued using their smartphone to make cashless payments. We see this sentiment rise in the second quarter of 2018, to 55 per cent of respondents.

The connected citizen

When we looked at the likelihood of Irish people to interact with public services and Government departments online, it’s clear to see that online interactions are becoming more common than offline. The most popular services being accessed online are car tax services (63 per cent online, compared to 19 per cent offline), revenue online (57 per cent online, compared to 17 per cent offline) and income-tax services (46 per cent online, compared to 26 per cent offline). There is a consistent appetite for more digital public services, with 73 per cent of respondents believing Government could make better use of mobile phones.

This report highlights the ongoing impact of mobile technology across our personal and working lives, integrating seamlessly into our lifestyles. New working patterns are emerging, driven by improvements in digital technology and mobile infrastructure which create opportunities for higher productivity. For us in the telecommunications industry, it is exciting to think what the future holds for our digital society.