Only 8% of teenagers in Singapore (versus 12% globally) feel that telecoms service providers understand their lifestyle and offer services to match it, according to research from Vanson Bourne.
But at the same time, only 18% (30% globally) report experiencing poor customer service from their service provider over the past year, while 46% (same as globally) say that as a result, they will not use the same provider again. Significantly, a 41% of respondents shared this information with family and friends.
The study, which was commissioned by Amdocs, covered 4,250 respondents (15-18 years) from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Brazil, India, Germany, Russia, Mexico, the Philippines and Singapore.
Among respondents in Singapore, 49% (43% globally) believe their smartphone makes them smarter and “cooler”, while 55% (52% globally) check their social media accounts first thing in the morning. Almost half (31% globally) say they would probably not meet someone again if they didn’t have a WhatsApp account.
Also, 56% say they prefer using emojis (47% globally) to sending emails, as they feel it allows them to express their feelings more clearly than words. A similar number said the same about posting photos (45% globally).
In addition, teens demand constant internet connectivity, with 68% (56% globally) saying they are likely to feel anxious and alone if separated from the internet than if separated from family (51% versus 52% globally). The value of internet access is so significant that 56% (55% globally) strongly believe fast Internet access to be a human right.
Further, 59% (61% globally) stream videos, compared to 20% (14% globally) who download.
For TV, 47% (51% globally) stream versus 18% (11% globally) who download, while for music, 41% (46% globally) stream, compared to 37% (28% globally) who download. And they are typically doing so for free, with less than a third saying they ever pay for content.
The study also found that teens perceive content and app providers as “service providers” and love them more, they want to harness technology to design their own experiences, and they expect future technology to allow them to become digital beings as much as human beings.