Mobile Phones

Internet usage over mobile phones is growing, in the U.S. - But are the largest carriers Mobile Compliant?

The largest U.S. mobile carriers–Cingular Wireless, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, Alltel—are currently seeing a huge growth in data usage and internet mobile browsing. Together the top 5 carriers generated more than $6.3 billion in wireless data revenues for the first half of 2006 according to Chetan Sharma, an independent mobile wireless consultant. Overall, wireless data service revenues, which also include several regional carriers, exceeded $7 billion in the first half of the year. Mobile carriers in the U.S. could generate more than $15 billion in data revenue for all of 2006. This is almost a 75 percent jump from 2005, when data services for the entire year accounted for $8.6 billion.

I am ranking the sites on 3 factors:

1. Speed of download
2. Correct mobile formatting
3. The extent that the site caters to mobile browsing

Now, lets take a look at those 5 Carriers, I’m curious, whether they have websites that are mobile friendly and mobile compliant.

Cingular Wireless / AT&T (61 million customers) - www.Cingular.com

Speed of download: 16 seconds
Correct mobile formatting: Not correctly reformatted for a mobile device
The extent that the site caters to mobile browsing: The site is the same as if accessed from a computer, Cingular should offer services that a mobile user would want to see, ringtones, news feeds, downloads, maps, directions.

Final Score: F
Verizon Wireless (59.1 million) – www.Verizon.com

Speed of download: 20 seconds
Correct mobile formatting: Not correctly reformatted for a mobile device
The extent that the site caters to mobile browsing: The site is the same as if accessed from a computer, Verizon should offer services that a mobile user would want to see, ringtones, news feeds, downloads, maps, directions.

Final Score: F- (if you can really get a “minus”!)

Sprint Nextel Corporation (53.1 million) – www.Sprint.com

Speed of download: 9 seconds
Correct mobile formatting: yes, this site was formatted much better than others, and the content was not pushed or bleeding over into areas of the site that it shouldn’t have been. It’s readable and navigatable.
The extent that the site caters to mobile browsing: Sprint actually has content on their site that a mobile browsing visitor would want and use. There are some application downloads and other cool features.

Final Score: C

T-Mobile USA (25 million) – www.Tmobile.com

Speed of download: 2 seconds (this is a redirected site for PDA users!)
Correct mobile formatting: Yes, clear and condensed formatting allows a user to actually see the full screen and browse effectively.
The extent that the site caters to mobile browsing: Browsers are met with a login screen, and that’s all. I’m not a T-mobile user so when I am met with a login screen, it makes me want to hit “Back” and move on.

Final Score: B+

Alltel (11.82 million) - www.Alltel.com

Speed of download: 17 seconds, this site took forever to download!
Correct mobile formatting: Yes, the site correctly displays without having to scroll left or right.
The extent that the site caters to mobile browsing: There is a nice image asking if you want to send a text message, and there are some other tools for a mobile user on the site. I don’t see much value to someone who goes to Alltel’s site via a mobile phone.

Final Score: C

Conclusion: With 4 of the 5 top US mobile phone carriers receiving a C or below rating, I have to say that there are some issues with mobile compliance, and by the very companies that are providing mobile phone services. The biggest issue is with the carrier’s sites not catering to a mobile browser, in download speed and in the size adjustment issues.

Listen up Mobile Phone companies! Get your act together!