Overview

Driscoll-Wolfe Marketing & Research Consulting has released an in-depth marketing research study on consumer opinions regarding the potential impact of telematics services and other location-based services on privacy. This study clearly summarizes how consumers feel wireless location-based services will affect their privacy and the ways in which the impact on their privacy can be minimized.

The potential impact of wireless location services on privacy is a major issue that will influence how wireless carriers and other service providers implement location-based services and how consumers accept these services. The Wireless Location Privacy Study assesses the extent to which people are concerned about the possible impact of these services on privacy. It identifies their specific privacy concerns and outlines suggested solutions.

The Wireless Location Privacy Study is primarily based on the findings of the Driscoll-Wolfe Wireless Internet Location Services Study, which was partially funded by twenty-one companies, including major U.S. cellular operators, suppliers of wireless Internet equipment and services, developers of software for wireless platforms, telematics suppliers and automotive companies. Charter subscribers included @Road, Inc., AT&T Wireless Services, ATX Technologies/Daimler Chrysler, Cell-Loc, Inc., Cingular Wireless, Cross Country Automotive Services, DeLorme, Inc., Etak, Inc., Ford Motor Company, Intel Corporation, Locate Networks, Lucent Technologies, Magellan Systems Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Navigation Technologies, Palm, Inc., QUALCOMM, Inc., SignalSoft Corporation, TruePosition, Verizon Wireless, and Visteon Corporation. This study was based on a series of eight focus groups, conducted in four U.S. cities, as well as a nationwide survey of 20,000 households.

The Wireless Location Services Privacy Study also includes information on consumer views regarding privacy from other recent Driscoll-Wolfe focus groups.

Study Provides Answers to the Following Questions

	What can wireless carriers and other service providers do to reduce concerns about privacy?
	What can manufacturers of wireless phones and other devices do?
	What can the government do?

Focus Groups

A total of eight focus groups were conducted in October-November, 2000. Two groups were conducted in each of four metropolitan areas including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. These cities were selected to provide geographic representation of major population centers.

One focus group in each city was conducted with cellular subscribers who have an average monthly bill of $75 or more, and who use cellular primarily for business. These participants also use the Internet daily for business. The other group was conducted with individuals who use cellular primarily for personal communications, have an average monthly cellular bill of under $75 and use the Internet at least once a week for personal reasons. All participants were 25~65 years of age, have a household income of $60,000 or more and have been cellular subscribers for 12 months or more.

The focus groups covered a broad range of topics relating to consumer interest in wireless Internet services, with emphasis on location-based services. The findings include information on consumer awareness of wireless Internet services, interest in individual location-based services, preferred service features, and willingness to pay for equipment and services. Focus group participants commented extensively on their opinions regarding location-based advertising.
The final portion of each focus group was reserved for a detailed discussion of privacy, so that, prior to the discussion, participants would be familiar with location-based service concepts and potential benefits.

Nationwide Survey

The projectable portion of the study was conducted in collaboration with NFO Research, Inc. Questionnaires were sent to 20,000 members of NFO’s consumer panel. The total sample was split into two groups of 10,000 households, with each group receiving a different questionnaire. This made it possible to increase the number of questions while maintaining a highly projectable sample size. Each sample of 10,000 was balanced to key U.S. Census demographic variables, such as geographic location, household size, age of head of household, cellular phone ownership and income. Completed questionnaires were received from over 13,500 panel members in the two groups.
Based on this survey, the report assesses the percentage of consumers who are concerned about transmitting location information to wireless service providers. An assessment is also made of which categories of consumers expressed a greater or lesser degree of concern about location privacy.

Key Findings

The following are among the key findings regarding consumer opinions on privacy:

Detailed Report

The 33-page Wireless Location Services Privacy Study includes the following sections:

Subscribers receive the report on a CD as well as a bound copy. Additional copies of the report and a videotape of the privacy discussions from the eight focus groups are also available.

Driscoll-Wolfe

Driscoll-Wolfe Marketing & Research Consulting, with offices in Los Angeles and Palos Verdes Estates, CA, conducts multi-client and private marketing research studies covering enhanced wireless communication products and services. The Wireless Internet Location Services Study is the company’s fourth multi-client study and the third emphasizing location-based services. Charter subscribers to Driscoll-Wolfe multi-client studies have included companies such as Microsoft, Motorola, QUALCOMM, Lucent Technologies, AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless, Verizon Wireless, GTE Telecommunications, the Automobile Club of Southern California, General Motors OnStar, ATX Technologies, Daimler Chrysler, SignalSoft and other major corporations.

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