Mobile services find few fans

Mobile content and services may have been quickening operators' pulses, but it seems the average consumer can take it or leave it.

A report from analyst house JupiterResearch has found that the majority of European consumers — some 68 per cent — are not interested in paying for any data services outside text and picture messaging.

Text messaging unsurprisingly remains the most accepted data service, with 79 percent adoption, while — despite the increasing penetration of higher-resolution camera phones — MMS trails a long way behind, with 28 percent take-up by European mobile users.

Mobile video is popular with just 8 percent of the Continent's mobiles, and personalisation services — such as ringtones and wallpapers — get the thumbs-up from a mere 15 percent of users.

According to JupiterResearch, a dearth of suitable handsets cannot explain the lack of enthusiasm. As phones with more sophisticated functionality, such as Internet access, have hit the market, the use of such capabilities has not risen accordingly.