2013 Asian-American Consumer Survey

Methodology

McLaughlin & Associates partnered with Penn Schoen Berland to develop and conduct a bipartisan national online survey of 400 adult Asian-American wireless phone users, who are likely voters. The survey was conducted between November 5-13, 2013. All interviews were conducted online. Interview selection was aimed within predetermined geographic units that were structured to statistically correlate with actual census of the Asian-American population. The accuracy of the sample of 400 adult Asian-American wireless phone users, who are likely voters, is within +/- 4.9% at a 95% confidence interval. The survey results in this summary have been rounded and the wording for each question is verbatim from the questionnaire.

Summary

Asian-American wireless phone consumers remain highly satisfied customers and most still consider their wireless service to be either an excellent or good value. Like most wireless phone consumers, Asian-Americans are price sensitive. They oppose adding new wireless taxes and fees and are more likely to believe adding new regulations would make their wireless service more expensive. Asian-American wireless phone users consider their wireless service to be an essential service in their everyday life and the results indicate there has been growth in their usage of smart phone technologies and features.

Survey Structure

The survey is divided into 5 sections. Jump to a section or explore the whole survey.

• Consumer Satisfaction
• Consumer Lifestyle
• Government Regulations
• Digital Downloads
• Taxes & Fees

Additional Consumer Surveys

• 2012 Asian-American Consumer Survey

Consumer Satisfaction

Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with your cell phone service?

Asian-Americans continue to be overwhelming satisfied (94%) with their wireless phone service. Roughly half (49%) are “very” satisfied. The high level of satisfaction is evident across all demographics. Only 6% are dissatisfied with their service.

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Considering the price you pay for your cell phone service and the benefits it provides you, do you consider the value of your cell phone service to be excellent, good, fair or poor?

By nearly a 4 to 1 ratio (79% to 21%), the large majority of Asian-Americans consider their wireless phone service to be either an “excellent” (28%) or “good” (51%) value rather than “fair” (17%) or “poor” (4%).

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Consumer Lifestyle

Other than making or receiving voice calls, which one of the following cell phone features is most important to you? (Allowed to Choose All That Applied)

Asian-American wireless consumers like to use a wide variety of features provided on their wireless phone. Texting (69%), e-mail (66%), Internet access (65%) and taking pictures (59%) are the most popular wireless phone features among Asian-Americans. As seen in last year’s survey, younger Asian-American consumers, particularly those 40 or younger, actively use a wider variety of wireless phone features than older consumers.

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What type of “apps” do you use most often on your cell phone or other wireless devices? (Allowed to Choose All That Applied)

Like last year, the majority of Asian-American wireless phone consumers have used or would use apps related to GPS/Maps (60%), weather (57%), and social networking (53%). Younger Asian-Americans are more likely to use a wider range of apps at a greater frequency.

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Do you consider your wireless service as an essential service in your everyday life?

Nine in ten (92%) Asian-Americans consider their wireless service as an essential service in their everyday life. The only group where the numbers dip is among senior citizens; however, there is still a majority (60%) of senior citizens who considers their wireless service essential.

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Do you or does someone in your household use a wireless device, like a wireless phone or tablet, for education or school related purposes?

The majority (63%) of Asian-American households has a member who uses a wireless device for education or school related purposes. More households in urban and suburban areas use wireless devices for education or school than rural households. Nearly 4 in 5 (78%) 18-29 year olds say someone in their household uses a wireless device for education or school related purposes.

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Have you ever used your cell phone for civic engagement or advocacy like signing an online petition, sending an e-mail to a legislator or making a donation to a certain cause?

The number of Asian-Americans who say they have used their wireless phone for civic engagement or advocacy grew from 20% to 36% since last December. The majority of 18-29 year olds say they have used their wireless phone for civic engagement and advocacy.

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If you had to choose one, which one of the following is the most important for you to have?

Half (50%) says having a wireless phone is more important to them than having broadband Internet (37%), cable/satellite television (8%), or a home landline phone (6%). The margin between wireless phone and broadband Internet increased from 5-points to 13-points since last year’s December poll. Men are split between choosing a wireless phone (42%) and broadband Internet (43%) while a majority of women prefer a wireless phone (56% to 30%).

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Which one of the following devices do you use most often to send and read e-mails?

Although the plurality (45%) still uses a laptop the most to send and read e-mails, the use of a smart phone has significantly increased since last year’s survey. Smart phones (29%) are now ahead of desktop computers (22%) when it comes to sending and reading e-mails. Tablets remain at the bottom of the list with 4%.

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Which one of the following devices do you use most often to go online?

The growth of using a smart phone is also evident when it comes to going online. The plurality (45%) still uses a lap top computer the most to go online, but the usage of a smart phone (29%) has outgrown desktop computers (20%). As seen with e-mails, few Asian-American consumers use tablets the most to go online.

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When making phone calls at home, do you…?

A little less than three-quarters (73%) of Asian-Americans use a wireless phone more than a landline phone when making phone calls at home. A slight majority (51%) “always” uses a wireless phone to make calls at home. Less than 1 in 5 (16%) use a landline phone to make calls at home and 11% use a wireless and landline phone equally. The use of a wireless phone significantly increases among Asian-American 18-40 year olds. The use of landline phones goes up considerably among Asian-Americans in rural communities and Asian-Americans 50 years of age and older. The plurality of senior citizens use their landline phone more than heir wireless phone.

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Would you consider giving up your home landline phone and only use a cell phone?

Seven in ten Asian-Americans already have (27%) or would consider (43%) giving up their home landline phone and only use a wireless phone. Less than one-third (30%) wouldn’t consider “cutting the cord.” Asian-American 18-40 year olds are the most likely group to cut the cord; however, there is a significant pool of older Asian-American consumers who have or would consider giving up their landline phones. The majority of senior citizens don’t want to give up their landline phone.

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From the following list, which privacy issues for wireless consumers are most important to you?

1. Having options to allow or block advertisements or marketing phone calls, and spam text messages.
2. Having options to allow or block location based services that use your phone to determine your location.
3. Protecting personal data, communications and transactions
4. Protecting children’s privacy

Protecting personal data, communications and transactions and having the option to allow or block advertisements or marketing phone calls, and spam text messages are clearly the most important privacy issues among Asian-American wireless consumers. Allowing or blocking location based services ranks above protecting children’s privacy.

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Government Regulations

Do you believe adding new government regulations on cell phone service would make your cell phone service more expensive or less expensive?

By greater than a 2 to 1 ratio (48% to 18%), nearly half believes adding new government regulations on wireless phone service would make their service more expensive. The majority of Republicans and Independents think adding new regulations would make their wireless phone service more expensive. Democrats are less inclined to believe their service would be more expensive.

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Digital Downloads

How often would you say you purchase online digital downloads such as ringtones, music, videos, games, books, software or apps to your cell phone or other wireless device?

There has been growth in the purchases of digital downloads since last year’s consumer survey. Now, 4 in 5 (85%) Asian-Americans purchase online digital downloads to their wireless phone or other wireless devices. The younger they are, the more likely they are to purchase digital downloads and at a greater frequency.

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Which statement do you agree with more on the issue of taxing the purchases of online digital downloads?

1. Federal guidelines should establish one fair and consistent set of taxes to apply to purchases of online digital downloads.
2. Each state should have the right to decide how its state taxes the purchases of online digital downloads, even if it means the consumer could be subject to taxes from multiple jurisdictions for the same purchase.

By a 13-point margin (50% to 37%), half prefers digital downloads being subject to one fair and consistent set of taxes established by federal guideline rather than allowing each state to decide how its state taxes the purchases of online digital downloads, even if it means the consumer could be subject to taxes from multiple jurisdictions for the same purchase. The majority of Democrats support the federal guidelines while Republicans and Independents are more polarized over the issue.

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Taxes & Fees

From what you know, about what percentage of your monthly cell phone bill is taxes and fees?

As seen among all wireless consumers, there continues to be a significant lack of awareness among Asian-Americans about how much they actually pay in taxes and fees on their monthly wireless phone bills. Among those who gave an estimate, most Asian-Americans think they pay less than 15%. The average answer is 10.4%, which is significantly lower than the national weighted average of 17.2%. About 1 in 5 (18%) said “don’t know.” The “don’t know” response is particularly high in rural areas (31%).

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Do you think the tax rate on your monthly cell phone service should be lower, the same or higher than the taxes you pay on general goods and services, which is approximately 7%?

The majority (59%) thinks the tax rate on their monthly wireless phone bill should be lower than the taxes they pay on general goods and services, which is approximately 7%. Combined, 94% believe the tax rate should be the same or less than the taxes they pay on general goods and services, which is relatively consistent across the demographic groups. The older generation is more likely to want the taxes to be lower.

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Would you support or oppose Congress passing a 5-year freeze or moratorium on all new wireless taxes and fees, which would prohibit states and municipalities from raising taxes and fees on wireless services?

An overwhelming 82% of Asian-Americans remain supportive of Congress passing a 5-year moratorium on all new wireless taxes and fees. About half (47%) “strongly” supports it. Only 8% opposes the proposal. This huge level of support cuts across all political and demographic lines.

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Under current law, there is a moratorium that prohibits states and municipalities from taxing your access to the Internet— the monthly charge from your Internet service provider. This law is set to expire in November 2014. If it expires, state and local governments would be allowed to impose taxes on your monthly Internet bill. Would you support or oppose Congress continuing the moratorium, which prohibits states and municipalities from taxing your access to the Internet?

By greater than a 4 to 1 ratio (76% to 17%), three-quarters support Congress continuing the moratorium which prohibits states and municipalities from taxing access to the Internet. A little less than half (47%) “strongly” supports the moratorium. This large majority consensus cuts across all consumer demographics.

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