Oftel's consumer and business research has recently contributed to a number of major projects. Oftel's 2000/01 effective competition review of dial-up Internet access drew on findings from quarterly surveys on Internet use among both residential consumers and small businesses, while the forthcoming Effective Competition Review: mobile statement uses findings on use of mobile phones.

Oftel's latest consumer and business research reports were published in July and can be found here.

The reports include Oftel's findings on the following:

Residential research
Fixed telephony
- UK penetration of fixed home phones
- demographics of homes without a fixed line phone
- main method of making and receiving calls, and satisfaction with this method
- awareness and use of fixed suppliers, reasons for not using indirect suppliers
- consumer spend on fixed line telecoms
- telephone equipment rental
- awareness and use of personal numbering services

Internet
- how many, and which consumers have Internet access at home
- method of accessing the Internet, type of package, and ISPs used
- average time spent on-line each week
- satisfaction with Internet service

Mobile telephony
- UK penetration of mobile phones, networks, packages and services used
- which consumers are using mobiles
- satisfaction with mobile service
- switching behaviour
- use of mobiles abroad

Business research
Mobile telephony
- Number of mobiles used, and mobile telecoms spend
- Service providers and packages used
- Use of / interest in WAP phones
- Use of text messaging
- Satisfaction with mobile service
- Use of mobiles abroad and satisfaction with information on charges

Fixed telephony
- Number of fixed lines and telecoms spend
- Awareness and use of suppliers, reasons for not using indirect access operators
- Satisfaction with fixed telecoms service
- Use of special rate numbers
- Use of personal numbering services

Internet
- Internet penetration
- Type of package, ISPs used
- Internet connection methods used including DSL (digital subscriber line) services and other non-PSTN/dial-up connection methods
- Satisfaction with Internet services

As reported in issue 52, Oftel recently published four consumer guides: What is Oftel?, Your rights as a telephone user, Choosing a telephone company and How to complain about your telephone service. Each of these publications is available both as a leaflet and on Oftel's website.

We are interested in what you think of these. To take part in our research and have your say please complete our short questionnaire.

Forthcoming research projects, due for publication later in the autumn include…
- Consumers' use of digital TV - what interactive services they're using, how do they compare to Internet services (online shopping/banking/gambling etc), likes / dislikes about the services, perceived differences between suppliers, EPG usage.
- Importance of branding in the telecoms market - is using a familiar and trustworthy brand more important than price and quality considerations? What will this mean for potential new-entrants into the fixed line market?
- International calling - do customers choose their supplier on a route-by-route basis, do they use their domestic supplier for international calls, do they know about the choice of calling methods / suppliers available, and are they aware of the cost of international calls?

For further details on Oftel's consumer research programme, contact Karen Metcalfe (tel: 020 7634 8918/e-mail: karen.metcalfe@oftel.gov.uk).