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IDC/LINK Study shows America Online Brand to Be a Strong Potential Threat to the Traditional Telecom Brands
PR Newswire - October 07, 1997 08:32
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IDC/LINK Residential Telecommunications Brands and Bundles Study, 1997,
Analyzes Consumer Preference for Telecom Brands and Service Bundles
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- If you are a start-up
telecommunications company with an ambitious growth plan, America Online (AOL)
is the brand to bond with. According to IDC/LINK's Telecommunications Brand
Image Index (BI2), the AOL brand is now stronger nationally than any of the
RBOCs, GTE, or Cellular One. This favored brand status is in spite of the
media's habit to chastise AOL for lack of dial up availability.
IDC/LINK's Residential Telecommunications Brands & Bundles Study draws the
map of brand positions and choreographs who is up and who is down. AOL's
Brand Image Index (BI2) measurement is weakest in the US West RBOC region, and
strongest in the NYNEX and Bell Atlantic regions. Nationally, the AOL brand
is now stronger than any of the RBOCs, GTE, or Cellular One. Among different
household types, AOL's brand is strongest not only in households that use
online services, but also in those with high usage of cellular and paging.
However, AOL's BI2 rating falls far behind that of the RBOCs in their own home
regions.
Interestingly, AOL also has a higher BI2 rating than Microsoft Network
(MSN). However, America Online's much-publicized end-user dissatisfaction is
borne out in the study, as online users rated AOL far below AT&T in
satisfaction.
"AOL has come a long way in terms of brand image," said Iain Gillott,
Director of Wireless and Broadband Networking at IDC/LINK and the analyst
responsible for the study. "With the right brand management and additional
telecommunications services, AOL could seriously impact the market share of
the traditional carriers, especially MCI, GTE, and Sprint. AOL could be a
serious threat."
The Brand Image Index (or BI2) is a unique development of IDC/LINK that
allows direct comparison of a brand with its competitors or across demographic
groups. The Residential Telecommunications Brands & Bundles Study is
published in eight separate volumes: one for the national sample; and one for
each Regional Bell Operating Company geographic region.
To receive further details on this study, or on other IDC research, please
contact Janis Dempsey at 508-935-4145 or by email at
jdempsey@idcresearch.com. For additional information about IDC/LINK's
Telecommunications programs, please contact Elizabeth Freedman at
508-935-4764.
About IDC
Headquartered in Framingham, Mass., International Data Corporation
provides IT market research and consulting to more than 3,900 high-technology
customers around the world. With a global network of 300 analysts in more
than 40 countries, IDC is the industry's most comprehensive resource on
worldwide IT markets, products, vendors, and geographies.
IDC/LINK, an IDC subsidiary, researches and analyzes the home computing
market, leading-edge technologies in telecommunications and new media, and the
convergence of computing and consumer electronics.
IDC's World Wide Web site (http://www.idc.com) contains additional company
information and recent news releases and offers full-text searching of recent
research.
IDC is owned by International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading IT
media and research company.
NOTE: All product and company names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.
SOURCE International Data Corporation
/CONTACT: Elizabeth Freedman, 508-935-4764, bfreedman@idcresearch.com
or Hillary DeMello, 508-935-4282, hdemello@idcresearch.com both of IDC/
/Web site: idcresearch.com
(AOL)
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