The data cost crisis
Most mobile consumers aren’t aware that advertising forms a big part of their data costs, and the concern is that the current high cost is a barrier to entry for many wanting to experience the benefits of the Internet and mobile technology
The mass market’s ability to access information online is increasingly being compromised by popular websites that "chew data" because of excessive advertising. And, says Gour Lentell, CEO of cloud-based mobile specialist biNu, this is an issue publishers and advertisers are not paying sufficient attention to. The company has just completed a revealing study that shows how much data is taken up by advertising on SA’s top 20 websites. For instance, on the Daily Sun and SuperSport websites adverts eat up as much as 81% of data. On IOL it is 76%, on DStv 7% and on Autotrader 21%. Says Lentell: "We’re experiencing a data crisis in SA where the current high cost is a barrier to entry for many wanting to experience the benefits of the Internet and mobile technology. The high costs mean the broader, less affluent mass market — which many brands and advertisers wish to reach — simply cannot afford to go online, surf the Internet and download and use apps created for them. For example, browse...
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