Siemens completed the survey in December, 2003. Results were derived from 3,000 interviews which independent research houses conducted — Synovate in China and GFK Marketing Services in eight countries — Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesi, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand.
Almost half of Asian mobile phone users perceive phones as a technology extension of their personality. A good 65 percent of Indonesians have this mentality; 62 percent for Filipinos and 55 percent for Indians.
More than half the people in Asia Pacific will go back home to get their cellular phone if they have forgotten it – 70 percent of the Chinese will do so, 65 percent of Filipinos; 63 percent of Indians; 62 percent of Indonesians and 60 percent of Malaysians.
Majority of Filipinos, 77 percent, will check their mobile phones constantly if they don’t receive a text message or a call for a long time. Some 66 percent of the Indonesians surveyed will do the same, though the Australians (20 percent) and the Taiwanese (37 percent) do not seem to mind as much.
The Chinese are always in the loop, with 81 percent keeping their phones by their side no matter where they are or what they are doing, compared to only 70 percent of Indians, 66 percent of Indonesians and 60 percent of Filipinos.
However, relatively few Filipinos, only 15 percent, send out unidentified messages. A good 24 percent of Indians and 17 percent of Malaysians send a "wrong message" to another number hoping to meet someone new.
South Asians — 57 percent of Filipinos, 55 percent of Thais and 57 percent of Australians feel that today’s society has become less courteous and considerate due to increased use of mobile phones.
However, Asians hardly ever use their camera phones to take sneaky peeks into other people’s lives. In the Philippines, only 3 percent of mobile phone users do this. The highest was in India, with 20 percent.
Interestingly, 34 percent of males in Asia Pacific talk louder than females (30 percent) in public or private places. Some 43 percent of Filipino males talk louder over the phone versus 35 percent of Filipino females.
Also, more males – 21 percent overall, than females – 17 percent – subscribe to the latest news via Short Text Messaging services. In the Philippines, the ratio is 34 percent males versus 27 per ent females.
Most Filipinos surveyed, 53 percent, use their mobile phones to plan their social activities, outdone only by the Chinese, with 63 percent.
Furthermore 42 percent of Asians would rather go for the mobile phone than the Personal Computer. Faced with a choice, 59 percent of Filipinos will rather turn down the PC rather than spend a day without their phones.
