Consumers Surveyed Say: Fix My Cellular Coverage at Work or You May Lose My Business

SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - Jan 19, 2015) - According to new YouGov research commissioned by SpiderCloud Wireless, Inc., the leading provider of scalable small cell Enterprise Radio Access Network (E-RAN) systems, consumers are sending a strong message to mobile operators that cellular coverage is as important at work as it is at home, with up to 74% expressing a potential willingness to switch mobile operators to get better coverage at the office.

The survey conducted by market research firm YouGov in November 2014 for SpiderCloud Wireless, reveals 38% of all consumers said they would switch mobile operators to achieve better coverage and reception inside their office buildings, while an additional 36% were on the fence, revealing that up to 74% surveyed would potentially be open to moving mobile operators if they received improved cellular coverage inside the office building from another provider at work.

"Both consumers and IT decision makers share the common pain point when faced with poor cellular coverage at work. Today's workforce is a mobile connected workforce," said Ronny Haraldsvik, CMO, SpiderCloud Wireless. "The YouGov research findings from 2014 and 2013 show consistent feedback: reliable mobile coverage and capacity indoors is a critical need for today's enterprise customers."

Happier and More Productive Workers
This recent survey polled 1,004 consumers in the United States during November 2014 who use their personal mobile phone for work purposes. The research revealed 40% surveyed would be happier and more productive if indoor cellular coverage was improved. As for increasing their usage of the personal mobile device for work purposes, such as with corporate Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, 56% responded they would be happy to use their own mobile device if their company guaranteed they would not be personally billed for any business usage while in the office building.

When further examining survey respondents who worked at larger enterprises with 500 employees or more, the numbers were similar. Of those polled, 32% would be willing to move operators for better mobile service whereas 33% remained undecided. The great majority, 60% of survey respondents, stated they would be happy to use their mobile device for work purposes if they were not billed for mobile usage while inside the office.

The research uncovered surprising generational differences for happiness and productivity based on mobile dependency at larger enterprises (500 or more employees). Of the Millennials, often considered digital natives, 37% would be happier if cellular coverage and capacity improved in their workplace. But the response rate was higher among Generation X at 41%, noting they may depend more on mobility than the Millennial workforce. For workers over 55, mobility was still important (31%), but less so than their younger counterparts.

"Ensuring employees are mobile-enabled is increasingly becoming mission critical," said Art King, director of enterprise services and technologies, SpiderCloud Wireless. "Productivity through mobility is a competitive advantage and important for employee job satisfaction. As the Internet of Things makes buildings and devices smarter, and wearables penetrate the enterprise, the always-connected mobile workforce is a must-do requirement for enterprise IT."

Enterprise In-Building and Venue Opportunities Rich for Mobile Operators
This data further illustrates the larger problem with reliable indoor coverage and proves there is a compelling business opportunity for mobile operators. There is a rich opportunity for operators to set its sights on securing office buildings and large-scale indoor venues to build and maintain its subscriber base in an increasingly competitive market. Previous research conducted by SpiderCloud and YouGov in 2013 revealed that more than 61% of IT decision makers from businesses with 250-plus employees felt their business had an issue with reliable coverage.

"We all spend a significant portion of our lives at the office and savvy consumers will make a decision about their operator based on coverage at their desks," adds Haraldsvik. "This is a huge opportunity for mobile operators who are willing to make in-building network investments considering that 80% of all cellular calls and mobile data connections are made from indoors."

Another SpiderCloud sponsored survey by Signal Research Group from 2013 discovered that anywhere from 20% to 88% of an operator's licensed spectrum was underutilized inside most metropolitan buildings. In this research, the analyst commented that, "Their spectrum, which is their most valuable asset and in which they've invested billions of dollars, is not only being under-utilized, in some indoor scenarios isn't being used at all."

About SpiderCloud Wireless
SpiderCloud Wireless develops breakthrough, small cell network platforms that allow mobile operators to deliver unprecedented cellular coverage, capacity and smart applications to enterprises. SpiderCloud Wireless is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company that is based in San Jose, California and is backed by investors Charles River Ventures, Matrix Partners, Opus Capital and Shasta Ventures.

SpiderCloud Wireless is a registered trademark and SmartCloud a trademark of SpiderCloud Wireless, Inc. © 2014 SpiderCloud Wireless, Inc.

For more information visit www.spidercloud.com and follow SpiderCloud on Twitter http://twitter.com/spidercloud_inc

About the survey
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,004 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between November 21-26, 2014. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).