Mobile customers staying faithful

The majority of mobile phone users stay faithful to their operator despite the varying levels of customer satisfaction often associated with mobile phone companies.

Just over half (53 per cent) of respondents to a silicon.com reader poll said they have been with the same mobile operator for five years or more - and slightly less than a fifth (19 per cent) said they had been with their operator for three to five years.

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In comparison, just 15 per cent said they have been on the same network for one to two years. And the remaining respondents (13 per cent) said they have been with their current operator for less than a year.

But with mobile operators branching out into new areas, such as mobile banking and mobile TV, the loyalty of some customers may soon be tested.

The arrival of Apple's iPhone could also prove to be a significant lure for customers who have previously stuck with the same operator.