Kiwis Love Their Phones, But Still Don’t Want Their Kids To Have One

Kiwis are increasingly reliant on their mobile phones for everyday tasks, but remain worried about children having phones at too young an age, new research shows.

The majority of us (56%) now use apps to communicate with others, and nearly half use our phone to manage our finances. Only half of us still have landlines, and nearly the same amount say they feel ‘naked’ without their phones.

Despite this we remain cautious about children having phones, with just over a quarter (28%) believing children should have a mobile phone by the time they’re at high school. Only 10% of us believe a child is safer with a mobile phone than without one, and the same percentage worry about their child’s access to social media through their phone.

The survey was done as part of Canstar’s research to find the Most Satisfied Customers of Mobile Monthly Plans, won by 2degrees and Prepaid Mobile, won by Skinny. Between them, 2degrees and Skinny have won these awards every year since they were launched eight years ago.

Jose George, Canstar NZ General Manager, said the dominance of the two brands showed how the consistency and quality of their customer service was appreciated, year after year.

“Our research showed these two brands are clear leaders in the category. In a small but competitive field, these brands repeatedly come out top of the table for satisfied customers.

“We’re increasingly reliant on our mobile phones for every aspect of our daily lives. And both 2degrees and Skinny deliver the plans and services needed to make this easy and affordable for us.”

In this year’s prepaid award, most people (37%) cited value for money as their top concern, with customer service second (22%).

However, for monthly plan users, customer service rates as highly as value for money: both cited as the biggest driver of satisfaction by just over a quarter (26%) of respondents. This is a reflection of consumers’ expectations of greater customer service when purchasing a premium product.

Taryn Hamilton, Chief Consumer Officer, 2degrees, noted the brand’s repeat wins. “We are chuffed to be voted best Pay Monthly provider again. 2degrees has been working tirelessly to give Kiwis great value, fairly priced products, backed with awesome support from our Kiwi call centre. We have a superb network, and are always looking for ways to make Kiwis’ lives better through our products and services.”

Hunter Haines, brand lead for Skinny, was also happy with the repeat wins, saying: “Winning the Most Satisfied Prepaid Customers award for the eighth year in a row is an epic feat. We love what we do, and knowing we offer plans that meet the needs of our customers is a big part of that. Winning this award helps reinforce that we’re still on the right track - it’s also super humbling. Get the Skinny!”

For further details please visit the Canstar NZ site for prepaid plans and pay monthly plans.

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