IRISH BUSINESSES spend an average of €838 a month on mobile phone services, down 15 per cent from last year, according to a new survey from the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).
The ComReg survey of 497 businesses with fewer than 100 employees and a further 53 larger businesses found that 40 per cent of businesses have switched their mobile provider in the last year.
The regulator said this was a likely indicator that businesses were “shopping around for better deals during tougher economic times”.
The survey shows that 42 per cent of small and medium enterprises and 49 per cent of larger firms have reduced their mobile spend in the last 12 months.
ComReg’s first business survey of 2010, carried out by Millward Brown Lansdowne, finds that Vodafone and O2 continue to dominate the business market. Vodafone is used by 41 per cent of SMEs, while O2 is used by 38 per cent. In the corporate sector, 72 per cent of respondents used Vodafone for some or all of their mobile needs, while 53 per cent used O2.
Internet access, primarily broadband, is now used by 92 per cent of respondents. Usage is below average in firms with fewer than 10 staff, with 84 per cent of these firms claiming to have internet access. Businesses in retail (82 per cent) and the hotel and restaurant sector (80 per cent) are the least likely to use the internet.
The survey also finds that Eircom continues to dominate the market for internet access, with 57 per cent of the market, but ComReg notes the use of alternative providers is increasing.
