Security Featured Article

More of us are becoming dependent on wireless devices both basic cell phones and sophisticated multichannel broadband smartphones. That means we have become dependent on the data they store for us such as phone books, photos, text messages and other personal information.

 

Recent news headlines regarding mobile data loss have naturally raised serious concerns among consumers about carriers’ and retailers’ ability to back up data at the handset point-of-sale. It is not as if these devices have detachable storage like USB ‘thumb drives’ for laptops and desktops.

 

Wireless carriers and sellers are hearing that message at five bars. A new survey of them across the U.S. issued by CelleBrite said 33 percent of respondents indicated that their customers were increasingly concerned about the potential for data disappearing. They reported that the ability to safely and securely synchronize data between phones and back up data was vital to the sales process, with 42 percent of those polled relaying that such capabilities would make or break a sale.

 

Additional results of the survey found that:

*          When asked to rank the importance of transferring specific data sets, findings overwhelmingly at 97 percent pointed to phone book data as most crucial to customers, with camera phone photos prioritized second at 42 percent and music and ringtones sharing an equal number of positive replies at 37 percent and 31 percent, respectively.

*          Functionality desired by carriers and retailers in synchronizing data included the ability to back up users’ mobile data to a PC or online distribution point at 39 percent, and over-the-air data storage and backup capabilities at 34 percent.

*          Forty-seven percent of respondents relayed that their companies currently charge for mobile data synchronization at point-of-sale, making this capability not only a vital customer safeguard but also a critical revenue stream for many carriers.

The survey was conducted via e-mail in November, and respondents varied between store owners, sales representatives and customer service personnel.

 

“It’s clear from this survey that customers are extremely concerned about protecting their mobile device-driven data, even more so as they continue to store greater amounts of personal information on their phones every day,” said Adi Ofrat, CEO, CelleBrite U.S. “For carriers and retailers, this represents a wake-up call that highlights the need to restore customer peace-of-mind by offering point-of-sale backup and synchronization solutions that are safe, secure and reliable. Providing this functionality is vital not only in terms of safeguarding the data itself, but to bolster and ensure new handset sales and create revenue streams that benefit the overall health of wireless carriers and retailers.”