The Diffusion of Mobile Data Services in the United States and Korea

This paper examines the adoption of mobile data services in the United States and Korea. We use the Global Acceptance of Technology model to analyze consumer behavior according to cultural and socio- demographic factors, mediated by the influence of technology-related factors. Using primary data collected from a recent survey of U.S. and Korean users, we find that higher rates of usage for a variety of mobile data services in Korea compared to usage in the United States can be partially explained by social and cultural differences between the two countries. Interestingly, despite identifiable differences in cultural and social norms we find many similarities in perceptions and preferences for mobile data services in the two markets. From this data we also analyze willingness to pay for mobile data services and again find marked similarities between U.S. and Korean consumers.