New mobile Internet user types emerging says analyst company

Broadband analyst group Point Topic says that it has identified six main types of users of mobile Internet.

With uptake of mobile Internet services growing rapidly, Point Topic believes that six distinct clusters of users are emerging - road warriors, gadget joys, MI lifers, mid-market moderates, entertain us and light & easy.

While categories such as road warriors, who use mobile Internet for business while travelling, and gadget joys, who are classic early adopters are already recognizable technology user types, there are new types of users emerging. Entertain us are predominantly young people using mobiles for entertainment, while light &easy are older users whose main method of Internet access is through mobile devices. Mid-market moderates are late adopters who have yet to find a compelling use for mobile Internet.

According to the company, around 83% of all mobile Internet users fall into these categories, and it is important that service providers understand them and their habits to target services effectively

"Think of them as like the audiences for different radio channels," said Tim Johnson, chief analyst at Point Topic. "You've got to have the right mix of content and features to get the audience to tune in. People can use the profiles of these clusters in the same way, to work out what they need to offer a particular segment of the market."