Do Indian telecoms understand teenagers demands?

Teenage smartphone user
It seems that Indian telecom network operators do not understand the demands of teenagers when they plan digital offers.

A quarter of teenagers in India against 12 percent globally feel telecom service providers understand their lifestyle and offer services to match it, said a study by Amdocs.

The Amdocs-commissioned study conducted by Vanson Bourne surveyed 4,250 respondents from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Brazil, India, Germany, Russia, Mexico, the Philippines, and Singapore.

36 percent teenagers against 30 percent globally report experiencing poor customer service from their telecom service provider over the past year.

49 percent teenagers against 46 percent globally say they will not use the same provider again due to poor customer service. A third of respondents shared this information with family and friends.

71 percent teenagers against 43 percent globally believe their smartphone makes them smarter.

68 percent teenagers against 52 percent globally check their social media accounts first thing in the morning.

More than 60 percent teenagers against 31 percent globally say they would probably not meet someone again if they didn’t have a WhatsApp account.

Teens demand constant Internet connectivity, with 77 percent of respondents against 56 percent globally saying they are likely to feel anxious and alone if separated from the Internet. The value of Internet access is so significant that 75 percent against 55 percent globally believe fast Internet access to be a human right.

70 percent teenagers stream videos against 61 percent globally, reflecting streaming over downloads as the preferred platform. 20 percent actually download content, which is slightly higher than in other markets (14 percent). 54 against 53 percent stream movies, whereas 28 percent in India against 17 percent globally download them.

54 percent Indian teenagers versus 42 percent globally perceive WhatsApp as service provider and not as over-the-top (OTT) players and Internet giants, while 45 percent consider Facebook and 44 percent consider Google as a service provider.

Indian teens love WhatsApp first (73 percent), followed by Google and Facebook at (both 69 percent).

“As an always connected generation, teens, today, are assertive and confident of their choices and they want to access all their opportunities with a single touch. And while they themselves seldom pay, they exert heavy influence on their parents, who are paying customers, and have an even wider impact on other customers as a result of their prolific use of social media,” said Jatinder Ahuja, head of India and Southwest Asia business, Amdocs.