Integra5 Survey of Comporium Subscribers Reveals Converged Services Boost Retention and Overall Perception of Operator

Integra5 Survey of Comporium Subscribers Reveals Converged Services Boost Retention and Overall Perception of Operator

25% of TV Caller ID subscribers cite service as key loyalty factor; TV Caller ID subscribers 30% more likely to rate provider as "great"

BURLINGTON, Mass., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- In a recent survey of residential subscribers of Comporium, a South Carolina-based quintuple play provider, converged services pioneer Integra5 found that TV Caller ID plays a significant role in subscriber retention and positively influences subscribers' overall perception of their service provider. The survey, which generated more than 3,500 responses and is one of the first to poll subscribers who are already using a converged service on a daily basis, detailed interest in current and future converged services - real-time applications that "blend the bundle" by combining voice, video, data and wireless features.

To provide a more granular analysis of the impact of converged services, responses from Comporium's long-term TV Caller ID subscribers - 70% of whom have used the service for more than one year - were compared with feedback from subscribers who do not receive the service. Key survey highlights of subscriber loyalty and affinity for TV Caller ID include:

   -- 25% state TV Caller ID is a "main reason" they stay with Comporium for      their digital television, high speed data and phone services    -- TV Caller ID subscribers were 30% more likely than non-subscribers to      rate Comporium as "great"    -- 78% said they like TV Caller ID as much as other types of popular      services, specifically HDTV, while 71% reported the same for DVR   

"The economic impact of winning and retaining customers is dramatically altered in a multi-service, triple and quad play bundle market," said Boyd Peterson, senior vice president of Yankee Group's Consumer Research group. "The intense competition between service providers to have the best bundled offering will increasingly hinge on innovative services that offer consumers value through greater convenience and freedom rather than simply consolidating multiple services on a single bill."

A Converged Services Road Map

Respondents ranked interest in future real-time converged communications and content services that incorporate advanced interactivity, personalization and user management capabilities. Below are the top five, in order of interest:

   1. 90% - Ability to manage which TVs and PCs display Caller ID    2. 81% - Personalization features, such as the ability to add pictures and      photos to TV and PC Caller ID and to a network address book    3. 81% - Content alerts, which incorporate RSS and Web-based technology to      display banners with local, national and international news, weather,      sports and other information on TVs and PCs    4. 80% - "Click-to-call," which enables users to place calls from the TV      network address book and call/voicemail logs via the TV remote control    5. 77% - Voicemail alerts and playback, which notify users - via TV/PC      banner alerts - of landline or mobile phone voicemails. Users can also      view a voicemail log and play voicemails on their TVs/PCs   

TV Caller ID subscribers were 30% more likely than non-users to rate future converged services with the highest score of "like very much."

Most research surveys consumers who have never used converged services - in effect, asking them to "know what they don't know." By comparing feedback from long-term TV Caller ID users with that of non-users, this survey provides unique perspective. The fact that TV Caller ID users showed a higher level of interest in new services suggests that these subscribers - who are using converged services today and understand the value they provide - will be key to driving adoption of future services.

TV Leads Three-Screen Battle

As service providers begin to leverage TVs, PCs and mobile phones to provide consumers with a seamless, multi-device experience, the TV is enjoying renewed popularity - prompted by new technologies such as HDTV, VOD and interactive programming guides, as well as the proliferation of the Internet, which is linking PC and TV services.

   -- Nearly 70% of respondents chose the TV as their preferred device for      receiving converged services    -- More than 40% said they would like to receive converged services on      both TVs and PCs    Providing Value Today  

Further validating data from an Integra5 quad-play customer survey last year, Comporium's TV Caller ID subscribers confirmed the strong "word of mouth" value and revenue-generating potential of the service:

   -- 82% rate the service as either "very good" or "great"    -- 86% have shown it to friends and neighbors or told them about it    -- 94% leave it active all the time, even though it's possible to disable      it    -- Although Comporium offers the service free as part of its digital cable      and phone bundle, more than 40% said they would pay for TV Caller ID if      they moved to another area where the operator charged for it; of these,      90% would pay at least $1 per month, 70% at least $2 per month and more      than 50% at least $3 per month   

For a more detailed presentation of the survey findings and to understand how cable and telco providers can "blend the bundle" with converged services to avoid price wars, please contact Mariah Torpey at Davies Murphy Group (for Integra5) at 781-418-2404 or mtorpey@daviesmurphy.com.

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Source: Integra5

CONTACT: Mariah Torpey or Davies Murphy Group, Inc. for Integra5,
+1-781-418-2404, mtorpey@daviesmurphy.com

Web site: http://www.integra5.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment