Canadians are highly willing to switch mobile plans in order to fit how they use their phones, according to the latest report from Vividata.
Based on data from its spring Study of the Canadian Consumer, Vividata broke Canadian mobile phone users into four segments based on demographic info, media consumption habits and what they looked for in a mobile phone plan.
“Smart Planners” is the largest (33% of Canadians) and highest income ($86,000) segment, with an average age of 46. Most of their digital habits and preferences are pretty much in line with the average Canadian. They are also the most likely to switch providers, primarily for unlimited data for a good price and $0 devices, but also spend the second-most on their mobile plans.
The “Digital Savvy” segment (23% of Canadians) is typically more middle-age (average age 42) and skews male. They earn an average household income ($81,000) and are likely to be single. Their propensity to switch providers is also high (63%).
“Casual Users” are the eldest segment (average age 52), making up of 28% of the population. They earn an above average income ($84,000), prefer traditional media channels and are the segment that is least active online. Casual Users are also the least likely to switch providers, and more likely to use a flanker brand.
“Gen-Mobile” is the smallest segment, at 16% of Canadians over the age of 14. This group is young (average age of 38), diverse, skews female, most likely to be single and earn an average income ($81,000). Gen-Mobile is the most likely segment to use various providers, whether it’s the Big Three (Bell, Rogers, Telus) or flankers like Koodo or Freedom Mobile. Also, 67% are thinking of switching mobile providers.
While both groups are very similar, the Digital Savvy segment differs from Gen-Mobile in that while they both spend a lot of time online, the former is not as active on mobile or social. Gen-Mobile also spends the most per month on mobile services, with nearly 40% spending over $75 per month.
Looking at media habits, with the exception of newspaper, Gen-Mobile spends more time across major media than the average Canadian, especially the internet. Compared to the average Canadian, who spends 26 hours a week online via any device, Gen-Mobile spends an additional 16 hours (or 42 total hours), which is clearly why an unlimited mobile data plan is important to this segment.
On the opposite end, Casual Users spend less time across all media and roughly 16 hours less online per week than average. Smart-Planners mostly align with the average Canadian regarding their media behavior, but do spend a little more time with newspapers, magazines and radio, but nearly five hours less online. Digital Savvy users spend nearly the same time online per week as Gen-Mobile and more time than average listening to radio, but less so for all other media.
Gen-Mobile and Digital Savvy are the least likely segments to notice ads while watching TV programming; however, with the greater time they spend online, Gen-Mobile and Digital Savvy are more likely to notice ads while streaming video or scrolling through social media. Smart-Planners are fairly in-line with the population as to where they noticed ads most recently, while Casual Users are best reached by ads in traditional media.
