Canadians sending more texts than ever

Canadians sent 47.2 billion text messages in the first half of 2012, a significant increase from the number sent in the second half on 2011 says a report by CWTA. 

With a plethora of social media and technological voices in today's world, how do you plan to be heard above the noise? 

Person-to-person text messages sent in 2011 totaled 78 billion, up from the 56.4 billion sent in 2010. If the first half of 2012 is any indication, the numbers could see as much as a 60 per cent jump from 2011 by year end. In June 2012 alone, Canadians sent 8 billion messages, or approximately 268 million messages per day. 

CWTA'S MESSAGING STATISTICS 

CRTC says Canadians becoming more attached to Internet, smartphones.

Canadians are turning off their televisions and cutting their land lines in favour of online streaming and smartphones in record numbers, Canada's telecommunications regulator flags in a recent report.

The number of mobile phone subscribers is expected to reach 29.5 million by 2014, representing a penetration rate of 85 per cent. By then, smartphones will account for half of all mobile handsets in Canada, up from 31 per cent in 2009.

And by next spring, the percentage of Canadians with tablets is expected to double in a single year, to 10 per cent, according to consumer trends...

Read the complete article in the Calgary Herald

Pet Check automatically updates Pet Families

New Mobile App Provides GPS Tracking and More for Dog Walks


Dog walking customers in California can now find out exactly what time and where their dog was walked. Pet Check Technology is the first and only software and mobile application solution for the dog walking industry to provide both dog walking companies and dog walking customers with 100% transparency of when and where their dogs are walked.

With Pet Check Technology dog walkers simply scan a barcode when they arrive and depart their client's home using their mobile device. Customers receive an email alert each time the barcode is scanned, and can track the walks online using GPS mapping at any time during or after the walk. The technology is available to dog walking companies to offer their clients.

According to the 2009/2010 American Pet Products Association's National Pet Owners Survey, there are 78 million dogs in the U.S., and many of their owners work long hours and must rely on dog walking services.

"As a long-time owner of a successful dog walking company, I saw first-hand how much my clients love their dogs, so I wanted to ensure that they could be fully-confident in the dog walking that they were paying for," said Pet Check Technology founder Doug Simon. "Pet Check Technology is thrilled to launch in the dog-devoted state of California, and we look forward to providing all dog walking customers with the peace of mind of knowing that their pets are truly receiving the care they deserve."

Sarah Hoffmann has recently started using this new service. "I work long hours, and knowing exactly what time my dog was walked is both reassuring and helpful in planning when I have to come home from work," said Sarah. "When my dog walker started using Pet Check Technology, going to work became a little easier because I had more control of my dog's well-being, and it gave me peace of mind to know that my dog walker was spending the full amount of time that I paid for with my dog and that she wasn't just walked to the corner and back."

Pet Check Technology is the first and only business management solution combining mobile barcode technology, email alerts, GPS tracking, online scheduling and automated billing options for the dog walking business owner.

Pet Check Technology will soon be available nationwide. For more information
SOURCE Pet Check Technology

CRTC says Wireless Subscribers Expected to Rise to 30 million by 2014

The CRTC has released "Navigating Convergence II: Charting Canadian Communications Change and Regulatory Implications", a compilation of independent research and views obtained from CRTC stakeholders, including consumers, public-interest advocates and members of the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors. The first edition of the report was published in February 2010.

According to the report:

• Canadians are increasingly adopting mobile devices that can connect to the Internet and deliver content, information and social media services.
• Between 2010 and 2014, the number of wireless subscribers is expected to rise from 25.8 million to nearly 30 million, with half of them owning a smartphone.
• At the same time, mobile Internet subscriptions in Canada are predicted to increase significantly from 5.5 million in 2011 to 14 million in 2015.

Click here for the full report
Consider the implications for desktop applications in view of this huge shift in the way the internet will be accessed.

Bell Media Shows Strong Link Between Mobile Media Use & Brand Awareness

Bell Media has announced preliminary findings from its fourth annual Canadian Mobile Media Snapshot.  The 2011 research illustrates the strong link between mobile media use and brand awareness, favourability and purchase intent. Among the key findings:

• 82% of mobile media users agree that mobile media is a good way to learn about new products and brands;
• 80% agree that mobile media can influence them to investigate a product or service;
• 71% agree that mobile media can change the way they think about a product or service; and,
• 65% agree that mobile media can influence them to buy a product or service.

Of those surveyed, over half had purchased their phone in the last year leading to a smartphone penetration percentage within the survey sample of 56%.

Full Release

According to CWTA Canadians sent 18 Billion text messages in Q1 2011

Total person-to-person text messages sent by Canadians in the first three months of the year numbered 18 billion, a 10% increase over the Q4/10 total of 16.4 billion messages. In March 2011 alone, 6.2 billion text messages were sent, representing an average of 199 million messages per day.

Canadians also sent and received a total of 697 million Common Short Code text messages in the first quarter, an 11% increase over the Q4/10 total of 626 million messages.

More updated text messaging statistics are available

If your Social Communication strategy is focused on email blasts you may want to re-examine your approach.