Mobile content discovery on U.S. carriers a disaster

Recently, Strategy Analytics Wireless Media Lab evaluated the mobile portal experience of leading U.S. carriers (T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) was not on the list?) and concluded that Sprint (NYSE: S) has the best in class US operator portal, marginally ahead of Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless. Still, carriers have much to learn, as users still have a hard time browsing around the carriers’ portal sites.

Key findings:

• Sprint was rated the best portal experience for access and download content, shortest time taken and highest user satisfaction — 65% of the mobile panel users chose Sprint as the preferred portal model.
• Verizon Wireless is the Strategy Analytics US Portal Click Index leader with users completing the specified tasks (access portal, buy a game, buy a music track, access mobile TV/video) with fewest clicks.
• AT&T (NYSE: T) Cingular scored lowest on portal discoverability
• Helio performed well on portal discovery but was rated poorly for User Interface.
• Clicks required to buy music ranged from a best of 18 to a staggering 39 for the category laggard.
• The best in class mobile portal required 17 clicks to buy a game.

Full release is available from here.