Mobile TV and video solutions provider QuickPlay Media has released the results of an independent survey carried out by Market Tools, looking at Mobile TV and video consumption in the UK. The research found that there are several barriers preventing people consuming TV and video content on their mobile phones, including a lack of awareness of the  services on offer (44%) and cost (33%), though QuickPlay notes that this is one barrier that is set to erode as all-you-can-eat data plans become more prevalent in the market place.

The survey found that the demand for consumers to watch Mobile TV is there, with 65% of respondents stating that they are willing to spend time watching an advert if it meant that the Mobile TV or video content they consume is free or discounted. On the other side of the coin, if Mobile TV and video were to be charged for, 22% said that they would prefer a pay-per-use business model while 13% would prefer an additional monthly subscription that would deliver the content without adverts.

Operators across the world have invested heavily in improving their network structures to handle high-speed data transfer, but as an industry it seems that we are challenged by the last hurdle in marketing and selling these innovative data-based services to the public, says QuickPlay CEO, Wayne Purboo. There is a clear lack of awareness by end-users about what services they can enjoy, and what it will cost them to start watching. The survey shows that perceived cost is a key barrier to Mobile TV and video consumption in the UK so one option for operators and content owners is an advertising-based Mobile TV and video offering a solution that we have successfully rolled out with some of our customers in other parts of the world.

The survey found that two in five people have watched TV and video content on their mobile phone, with many now regularly using such services. 18% of those that have tried a Mobile TV and video service watch on a weekly basis.

For consumers that are currently using Mobile TV and video, the research highlights that as 46% have used it at home, an interesting statistic considering that consumers have other platforms available to them to consume TV and video content in the home. In relation to this, 30% stated that they would watch mobile TV and video in between activities and 28 per cent said it was a service that they used while in transit.

The survey also found that 33% of respondents have watched TV or video on their mobile for up to 60 minutes or longer, and that 41% of those surveyed would consider the ability to pause and resume content a deciding factor in whether or not they would watch longer forms of content, such as a full-length movie, on a mobile device.
72% do not recall having viewed adverts on their mobile handset. For those that had, 53%  said these were received as SMS/text ads, and 34% said that they were video ads.
QuickPlay notes that when compared to the results of a US study of mobile consumers with comparable demographic profiles, the results were very similar, suggesting that the habits and preferences of consumers, as well as the maturity of both markets, reflect each other.