So much has happened since Hello Mobile! (Smart Marketer April 2009) published 10 months ago, that it warrants this sequel given newly available research.

Point #1 : nearly one third of all Hispanic adults, 28.2%, have ‘only mobile’ phone service vs. 19.7% of non Hispanic whites during the first half ’09. 1 In addition, notable from the same source (NHIS) is that fully 45.8% of adults age 25-29 are ‘only mobile,’ up 57% from 29.1% during second half ’06. Studies using only landline random digit dial (RDD) risk drastically misrepresenting Hispanics and young adults at the very least. Naturally, if recruitment occurs online through live web intercept surveys or panel methodology, cell phone users are plentiful.

Point #2: 62% of Hispanic adults, English- and Spanish-speaking, access the Internet wirelessly, either from a WiFi/WiMax laptop connection or through their handheld device like a smart phone, in comparison to 52% of non Hispanic white adults, Dec ‘09.2

In this brief inquiry, the Hispanic Mobile User profile provides specific insight for marketers seeking to leverage opportunities within Hispanic mobile user space, as Hispanics are the Heaviest Mobile Users as evident by the two introductory points above. The source for the remainder of the article is comScore MobiLens service, Dec ’09 3 month average (Dec ’09 3MA), analysis performed by Terra USA Research, unless otherwise specified. The composition index is against US Total Mobile Subscribers, which is useful as a comparison to General Market.

Note that comScore MobiLens currently does not recruit in Spanish language, and Hispanic metrics within MobiLens are not yet adjusted to the national population. These are enhancements in the works. That said, findings from what is available now remain noteworthy to announce Hispanics as the heaviest mobile users.

The Hispanic Mobile User Profile

There were 15.2M Hispanic Mobile Subscribers as reported by comScore MobiLens, Dec ’09 3MA. Here is their basic demographic profile.

Chart #1

Demographic Profile - Highlights

The Hispanic Mobile Subscriber skews more male, 53.5%. Hispanic Mobile Subscribers skew young, as they are 37% more likely to be A13-17, 84% more likely to be A18-24 and 42% more likely to be A25-34 vs. US Total Mobile Subscribers. Hispanic Mobile Subscribers are 8% more likely to be employed full-time vs. their US Total counterparts.

Hispanic Mobile Subscribers make a terrific target to reach students, as they are 32% more likely to be full time students/also employed and 49% more likely to be full time students/not employed vs. US Total Mobile Subscribers.

As for country of origin, Mexico is #1 (42.7%) followed by Other (31.2%,) Puerto Rico ( 18.5%) and Cuba (7.6%.)

Hispanic Mobile User Fast Facts, Dec ’09 3MA

Plans, Operators & OEM’s

• Hispanics tend to disfavor pre paid payment plans (10.1% / 79 index) vs. a personal contract with full reimbursement from employer (2.1% / 194 index) and personal contract; self-pay (29.8% / 104 index.)
• 5.3% / 181 index began their subscription within the month, indicating a higher propensity to be in-market or intent to switch.
• 3.6% / 216 index have ‘Already decided to switch providers [Intent to switch operators]’
• 7.2% / 143 index have ‘Seriously considering switching providers [Intent to switch operators]’
• The Top 5 operators are:
• Verizon (23.6% / 76 index)
• AT&T Cingular (22.8% / 91 index)
• T-Mobile (17% / 141 index)
• Sprint (14.3% / 118 index)
• MetroPCS (7.4% / 324 index)
• The Top 6 Device Manufacturers are:
• Samsung OEM (22.6% / 107 index)
• Motorola OEM (21.3% / 91 index)
• LG OEM (16.7% / 76 index)
• RIM OEM (9.3% / 133 index)
• Nokia OEM (8% / 87 index)
• Apple OEM (5.8% / 136 index)

Mobile Phone Behavior

• 48.9% / 148 index have used an application
• 5.8% / 153 index have ‘Accessed social networking [Application access subcategory]’
• 14.4% / 155 index have ‘Played downloaded games [Method of game play]’
• 4.3% / 212 index have ‘Used (mobile) browser to play games [Method of game play]
• 10.5% / 262 index have ‘Almost every day [Sent photo directly to another phone]’
• 6.6% / 266 index have ‘Almost every day [Captured video]’
• 6.4% / 297 index have ‘Almost every day [Sent video directly to another phone]’
• Last, and certainly not least, 22.3% of Hispanic Mobile Subscribers own a smartphone vs. 16.8% of US Total Mobile Subscribers. As of Dec ’09 3MA, there are 3,391,000 Hispanic smartphone Subscribers.

Interwoven, these Hispanic Fast Facts strongly indicate a truly demanding Mobile Subscriber willing to switch providers to meet their needs, which include a greater propensity for gaming, picture taking, and video production disseminated virally from one phone to the next.

Hispanic smartphone Owners

As nearly one quarter, 22.3% of Hispanic Mobile Subscribers own a smartphone, expect yet another sequel to this article using Hispanic/smartphone as base. However, suffice to say for now the following findings among Hispanic smartphone Owners, Dec ’09 3MA:

Demographic & SMS Ads Behavior

- skew even more male, 62.1% / 130 index

- 60.5% / 143 index are employed full time

- 40.4% / have a bachelors or graduate degree

- 9.7% / 183 index have ‘Company with permission [SMS Ads: Source of ad/offer received]’

- 3.9% / 350 index have ‘Coupon or discount [SMS Ads: Responded to offer type.]’

Smartphone Platform

- 41.6% / 595 index RIM platform

- 26% / 612 index Apple platform

- 17.8% / 590 index Microsoft (Windows Mobile) platform

- 6.2% / 705 index Google platform

- 5.9% / 573 index Palm platform

- 2.4% / 385 index Symbian platform.

Notably, fully 10.2% of all Google platform smartphone Owners are Hispanic.

Mobile & Wireless Advertisers

Given the intent to switch and smartphone themes mentioned above, mobile & wireless category advertisers are targeting Hispanic Internet Users. Here is creative recently placed on Terra from advertisers Sprint Wireless Service and RIM Smartphones, respectively. 3

Terra – Telefonica is the 7 th ranked portal by unique smartphone owners with 49,000 smartphone Subscribers, Dec ’09 (Windows Mobile, Palm & Symbian platforms.) 4 Additionally, in a recent Dynamic Logic Research Study fielded on Terra.com centric to a campaign within the Wireless Carriers category, the highest proportion of the sample, nearly half (55%) of respondents look forward to new technologies and readily embrace them. 5 Our early adopter tendency can also describe Hispanic Mobile Users overall. Be a Smart Marketer – Hispanic Mobile Subscribers are the heaviest mobile users with desirable smartphone adoption, demographics and response to advertising; Terra will keep a bird’s eye view on their trailblazing progress and report back later in the year with notable trends and shout outs.

Sources:

1.) eMarketer. Demographic Profile of US Adults with Only Mobile Phone Service, Second half 2006-First half 2009. Dec 16 ’09. Citing National Center for Health Statistics at the US Department of Health and Human Services, “Wireless Substitution: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, Jan – Jun ‘09”

2.) eMarketer. US Adults Who Access the Internet Wirelessly, by Race/Ethnicity, Dec ’09. Citing Pew Internet & American Life Project, “Internet, Broadband and Cell Phone Statistics,” Jan 5 ‘10

3.) comScore AdMetrix is the source of creative and advertiser on Terra – Telefonica Property. The Sprint creative shows the last frame on the flash creative. Nov ‘09

4.) comScore. Mobile Key Measures Reports. Dec ‘09

5.) Dynamic Logic Research Study fielded on Terra.com. Wireless Carriers Category. n=252. Fall ‘09

By Natasha Funk

Published:  February 2010