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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Wireless -- The Number One Gift Choice of Teens
ATLANTA, Dec. 18 -- Santa, forget the CD's. DVD's? Old news.
This year, young people are asking for wireless phones and service plans as
their number one electronic gadget for the holidays.
In a survey conducted for Cingular Wireless, wireless phones edged out
computers, software and accessories as the top electronic gadget on the
holiday wish list among teens aged 13 to 17. Only two years ago, wireless
phones were number three -- behind video game systems and DVD players.
"There's no surprise that teens have embraced wireless technology," said
David Garver, Executive Director of Marketing at Cingular Wireless. "Not only
do wireless phones provide the best way to stay in touch, many models of
phones also serve as cameras, MP3 players and messaging devices."
Among the top gadgets desired by teens in 2003:
1) Wireless phone and service plan
2) PC, software and accessories
3) Stereo, CD player and accessories
4) DVD player
5) Video game system or accessories
6) Digital camera
Reasons for wanting wireless
Among teens who ranked wireless products in the top five most-desired
gifts, nearly half (46 percent) said they wanted a wireless phone to "keep in
touch with friends and family." That's a significant increase over 2001, when
only 33 percent said they wanted wireless to keep in touch.
Safety concerns have become more important for wanting wireless. Teens
often expressed that they wanted a wireless device "just in case/for
emergencies" (23 percent), or for "safety reasons" (7 percent), both mentioned
significantly more often than in 2001 (13 percent and 3 percent respectively).
However, teens say they're less concerned with the "coolness" factor of
wireless phones. "It's cool/Can show off" dropped to 7 percent as a reason to
want a wireless device as a gift, down from 13 percent in 2001.
Wireless data is hot
Although voice is still king among teen users, wireless internet service
is the most desired feature among teens - a finding that mirrored the 2001
survey. This year's survey also finds that specialty ringtones and SMS
messaging are more desirable than in 2001.
The survey of 390 teenagers was conducted from Dec. 3 - 8 by International
Communications Research.
About Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless, a joint venture between SBC Communications (NYSE: SBC)
and BellSouth (NYSE: BLS), serves more than 23 million voice and data
customers across the United States. A leader in mobile voice and data
communications, Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer
Rollover(SM), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly
minutes. Cingular has launched the world's first commercial deployment of
wireless services using Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) technology.
Cingular provides cellular/PCS service in 43 of the top 50 markets nationwide,
and provides corporate e-mail and other advanced data services through its
GPRS, EDGE and Mobitex packet data networks. Details of the company are
available at http://www.cingular.com .
Notes:
Rankings in the 2001 Survey among 13 to 17 year olds:
1) DVD player
2) Video game box (Playstaion2, X-Box or other video games accessories)
3) Wireless Phone and service plan
4) Stereo/CD player and accessories
5) Computer, software and accessories
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