Smart Cell Phone preparing to battle PPM in the U.S.

Arbitron's PPM may be in for some competition south of the border as testing of The Media Audit/IPSOS Smart Cell Phone continues to get positive results. The first series of tests conducted by RAJAR, the industry organization that manages radio measurement in Britain, found that the ability of the Smart Cell Phone to pick up codes inserted on a cross section of music and talk format stations met the same thresholds as did that of Arbitron's Portable People Meter. The Smart Cell Phone (SCP) - like the PPM - has been designed to be a multi-media measurement tool to read embedded audio signals in radio, TV, and the Internet in addition to OOH via its GPS component.

New York-based Arbitron says studies of how consumers use cell phones show that too many people do not have their cell phone with them all the time or do not have their cell phone turned on all of the time. It also says that less than 30% of consumers keep their cell phones with them at home. Cell phone on/off times and carry times vary widely by age and in the prime demo of 25 to 54 year olds, off times increase with each 10-year age group. While 61% of those aged 18 to 24 have their cell phones on all the time, that figure drops to 53% amongst 25-to-29-year-olds, 43% with those 30 to 44, and 39% with 45-to-59-year-olds. (Source: 'Ownership and Usage Patterns of Cell Phones: 2000-2005', by Peter Tuckel, Hunter College, CUNY and Harry O'Neill, NOP World, February 2005.) Arbitron contends that the option for consumers to turn off their phones would greatly bias radio survey results. On the other hand, the company says its PPM is always on and always listening. As far as compliance, Arbitron says its market trials show that people do carry the PPM consistently across all age groups.

The Media Audit of Houston, Texas is a syndicated service of International Demographics, a multi-media and marketing survey conducted in 85 cities across the U.S. It will begin field tests of its passive cell phone system in the U.S. mid-2006. With the omnipresence of cell phones today, The Media Audit believes the SCP will encourage a greater degree of compliance by panel participants because it's an item they are likely to carry with them normally. Arbitron, which has been refining, researching and testing the PPM for the past 10 years, believes a cell phone would actually work against the device and is citing research to back that up.
By Staff 
February 23, 2006

Arbitron’s PPM may be in for some competition south of the border as testing of The Media Audit/IPSOS Smart Cell Phone continues to get positive results. The first series of tests conducted by RAJAR, the industry organization that manages radio measurement in Britain, found that the ability of the Smart Cell Phone to pick up codes inserted on a cross section of music and talk format stations met the same thresholds as did that of Arbitron’s Portable People Meter. The Smart Cell Phone (SCP) – like the PPM – has been designed to be a multi-media measurement tool to read embedded audio signals in radio, TV, and the Internet in addition to OOH via its GPS component.

New York-based Arbitron says studies of how consumers use cell phones show that too many people do not have their cell phone with them all the time or do not have their cell phone turned on all of the time. It also says that less than 30% of consumers keep their cell phones with them at home. Cell phone on/off times and carry times vary widely by age and in the prime demo of 25 to 54 year olds, off times increase with each 10-year age group. While 61% of those aged 18 to 24 have their cell phones on all the time, that figure drops to 53% amongst 25-to-29-year-olds, 43% with those 30 to 44, and 39% with 45-to-59-year-olds. (Source: ‘Ownership and Usage Patterns of Cell Phones: 2000-2005’, by Peter Tuckel, Hunter College, CUNY and Harry O’Neill, NOP World, February 2005.) Arbitron contends that the option for consumers to turn off their phones would greatly bias radio survey results. On the other hand, the company says its PPM is always on and always listening. As far as compliance, Arbitron says its market trials show that people do carry the PPM consistently across all age groups.

The Media Audit of Houston, Texas is a syndicated service of International Demographics, a multi-media and marketing survey conducted in 85 cities across the U.S. It will begin field tests of its passive cell phone system in the U.S. mid-2006. With the omnipresence of cell phones today, The Media Audit believes the SCP will encourage a greater degree of compliance by panel participants because it’s an item they are likely to carry with them normally. Arbitron, which has been refining, researching and testing the PPM for the past 10 years, believes a cell phone would actually work against the device and is citing research to back that up.