| The FBI uses Criminal Profilers to narrow down | | | | $100,000.Surprisingly, the study also showed users of |
| suspects.....Hospitals and clinics use heart profilers to | | | | Nextel were four times more likely to have their cell |
| diagnose and treat heart ailments.....And now, it appears | | | | phone bills paid by |
| the cell phone industry is getting into the act of profiling | | | | their employer.If your a Verizon or Cingular user, |
| its subscribers.M:Metrics, a company that measures | | | | chances are you're 45 years old, or older. In fact, |
| consumer consumption of mobile content and | | | | according to the M:Metrics |
| applications, | | | | survey, 55.8% of these network subscribers are |
| has recently released a benchmark study to help | | | | retirement age, or older.Generally, users of Verizon or |
| determine the typical users of each major carrier."Our | | | | Cingular are much less likely to use even the most |
| data shows that each carrier attracts its own | | | | basic services. The study |
| demographic, which correlates with the consumption of | | | | showed only a little more than 10% of older users |
| | | | sent text messages in the three month period of the |
| mobile content," responds Seamus McAteer, | | | | study.The Study's Findings on Prepaid |
| M:Medtric's senior analyst and chief product architect.In | | | | Carriers:Tracfone and Virgin Mobile, both prepaid cell |
| other words, M:Metrics feels their studies show a | | | | phone service providers, were also named in the |
| pattern in the typical wireless user's age and income, | | | | study. |
| compared to how often mobile content is downloaded | | | | The survey showed subscribers of the two prepaid |
| from the internet.The Study's Finding on Major Carriers: | | | | networks spent roughly the same amount |
| | | | on calling plans, and had simular household |
| Both Sprint and T-Mobile have the highest percentage | | | | incomes.But, the survey showed there was a vast |
| of young carriers between the ages of 18 to | | | | difference in the users of the two networks. Virgin |
| 34. This age group is also responsible for downloading | | | | Mobile's phones |
| the most mobile content. Both carriers showed | | | | are geared towards young teens, generally 13 to 17 |
| a higher than average content consumption, | | | | years old. While Tracfone tends to draw the older |
| particularly in the download of games and photo/text | | | | user (ages 45 and older) |
| messaging.For instance, if you are a male, in your late | | | | who use the prepaid phone for emergencies.Virgin |
| teens, and frequently downloads games on your cell | | | | Mobile users also tend to download much more mobile |
| phone, | | | | applications than Tracfone subscribers. In a typical |
| you're twice as likely to have chosen Sprint as your | | | | month, only about 2% of Tracfone users opt to |
| phone's service carrier.Nextel users are even more | | | | download ringtones, compared to about 20% of Virgin |
| defined. The study showed the majority of subscribers | | | | Mobile |
| to this carrier are | | | | customers.Sandra Landwehr is the webmaster of |
| between the ages of 35 and 44, and male. Nextel | | | | The-Cell-Phone-Advisor.com, a consumer awareness |
| was also the carrier with the highest percentage of | | | | site that offers REAL help in finding your cell phone |
| users with household annual incomes in excess of | | | | plan and carrier. |