WAP It to Me Say European Internet Users 23/5/00 In the wake of the third-generation mobile phone auction frenzy, a new survey published by the NOP Research Group confirms that firm demand for WAP mobile phones does indeed already exist. Over a quarter (28%) of British consumers who have used the Internet in the last year are already aware of WAP technology. Two-thirds (65%) of Internet users also use a mobile phone and just under one in ten (9%) of Internet users claims to be likely to acquire a WAP-enabled mobile phone/PDA in the next 12 months. Conducted among Internet users in Britain, France and Germany, the Euro.net survey also found that, at 22%, declared interest in the acquisition of a WAP handset is highest among French Internet users, followed by Germanyıs 11% and Britain's 9%. As might be expected, interest in acquiring WAP services is directly linked to expertise in using the Internet. When combined together, results from all three countries show that while only 8% of those who describe themselves as 'beginners' say they are likely to get a WAP mobile in the next 12 months, fully 28% of Internet 'experts' plan to do so. Interestingly, although Britain leads in mobile phone penetration among Internet users in the three leading EU economies, at 56%, claimed awareness of WAP technology in Germany is double the level recorded in Britain. In France, 36% of Internet users claim to be aware of WAP technology. Meanwhile, NOP's Financial Research Survey shows overall mobile phone penetration at 45% of British adults, with ownership strongly related to age and to social class. An astonishing 66% of 16-20-year-olds now own a mobile, compared to 51% of 45-54-year-olds. Penetration peaks at 61% at the top of the social scale, falling away to 21% of those in the lowest social grade. According to Colin Strong, Mobile Internet research director at NOP, "With levels of awareness of WAP technology set to grow, the survey results do indeed give early credence to the mobile phone companies' belief that demand for mobile Internet access is set to take off. Both Internet service providers and anyone with an existing web site now needs to give thought to how best they can service the demand now being created." The Euro.net survey screened nationally representative samples of 23,000 adults, aged 15+, in Britain, France and Germany. 2,750 follow-up telephone interviews with Web users were conducted between 1 and 22 December 1999. The Financial Research Survey interviewed 15,442 adults, aged 16+, in Great Britain between January and March 2000.