Exploring early usage patterns of mobile data services

In this paper we study the nature of factors that facilitate mobile data services use, as well as the characteristics of early adopters, to shed light into diffusion patterns and inform predictions for future growth. We advocate that the use of mobile data services can be associated with one´s level of satisfaction with his/her life. Based on the findings of a questionnaire-based survey (N=388), we have found that users satisfied with their personal life use information, mobile e-mail, and stock broking services more frequently than dissatisfied ones, while users satisfied with their professional life tend to use financial, information, and mobile e-mail services more heavily. Furthermore, we identify early adopters´ profiles in terms of their demographic characteristics (gender, age, education, and income) to inform the design of effective target marketing strategies.