A third of adults would be happy to pay more for their mobiles if it meant a decrease in the risk of their phones being stolen.
This is according to a survey* on mobile phone theft from CMG, the ICT solutions company, specialising in mobile business and advanced security. A third of respondents said that they would be willing to pay a one-off fee of up to £20 for extra security which would make their phone useless to thieves (and thus cut mobile crime rate). A small group (three per cent) even said that they would be willing to pay up to £100.
But in the research, users' security fears failed to translate into direct action. A quarter of respondents said that they had been put off from using their phone in a public place because of the potential for theft. However, 45 per cent went on to admit that they didn't have any form of security on their mobile phone at all.
Other results include:
* Less than half of all respondents had 'PIN-protected' their SIM card
* Only 34 per cent had registered their phones' serial number with a
network operator, which would enable the latter to disable the phone in the event of a theft
The survey revealed that the overwhelming majority of respondents (69%) believed that it was the network operators' role, rather than the customers', to register the phones' serial number. But 82 per cent went on to say they believed that all parties - operators, handset manufacturers, retailers, the police and the government - had a responsibility to work together to reduce mobile phone theft.
"67 per cent of the UK's population currently owns at least one mobile phone," said Peter Maathuis, director of corporate communications at CMG. "But while the issue of theft is clearly documented, the solutions are less
well recognised."
"What we need to see is a proactive effort by all the interested parties, be they manufacturers or retailers, into making the safety of the customer a priority. There are a number of security solutions already available in the market; we need to communicate these to the customer so that they're aware of all the options available to them."
A summary of existing security solutions to combat mobile theft is attached as Appendix I.
For more information about CMG please visit www.cmg.com or go to the LEWIS Virtual Press Room at http://www.lewisvpr.com/clients/cmg.html
* The CMG mobile phone security survey polled 1000 adult, mobile phone owners in the UK.
Press enquiries:
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For general enquiries call Imogen Beck or Zoe Moore at CMG:
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7592 4000 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7597
4803
Email: imogen.beck@cmgplc.com or zoe.moore@cmgplc.com
Internet: www.cmg.com
About CMG
CMG, established in 1964, works closely alongside its customers in long-term relationships to generate success for them.
CMG is a global information & communication technology company with leading positions in the provision of Mobile Business, Advanced Security, Business and Process Outsourcing and Advanced Payroll solutions.
The combination of our capabilities produces a compelling proposition for enterprises seeking to add the mobile channel to their operations and marketing strategies. We are at the heart of our customers' critical activities, combining industry knowledge, technical expertise and practical innovation. With over 13,000 employees CMG implements and supports applications for customers worldwide from bases in more than 20 countries.
CMG is listed on both the London and Amsterdam Stock Exchanges.
For more information visit www.cmg.com