UMTS Forum Report 44 contains striking data on the demand for mobile data services. One Scandinavian operator recently indicated that the average 3G smart phone user consumed 375 MB/month of data, the average 3G broadband user consumed 5 GB/month, while the average LTE consumer used 14 GB – 15 GB/month of data. The report concludes that total worldwide mobile traffic will reach more than 127 EB in 2020, a 33 times increase. UMTS Forum – Mobile Traffic Forecasts 2010-2020
UMTS Forum – Mobile Traffic Forecasts 2010-2020
August 31st, 2011OECD – Communications Outlook 2011
August 31st, 2011The OECD’s biennial Communications Outlook contains, as usual, a wealth of data on telecommunications and broadcasting industries in OECD countries: markets and spending, policy, network development, pricing and trade. The report includes hundreds of tables and figures, each linked to supporting data online.
Mobile money momentum
August 31st, 2011A trio of reports on mobile payments:
KPMG surveys developments from the viewpoint of the banks in Monetizing mobile: How banks are preserving their place in the payment value chain.
Deloitte highlights the need for cooperation between mobile carriers and financial institutions in their research study Cell me the Money: Unlocking the value in the mobile payment ecosystem.
Booz looks at the broader issue of m-commerce in Mobile Commerce Comes of Age: Collaborate to Succeed.
OECD – Mobile data roaming cost comparison
August 31st, 2011This report follows an earlier report from BEREC that highlighted the disparity between on-net and off-net mobile data costs. The OECD report lists data roaming charges for a series of baskets, e.g. 1 MB in one session, 20 MB use across a whole month, by country of origin of the customer. The variance is considerable: 1 MB in one session costs a Canadian customer six times as much as a Greek customer. The report notes that “There is a strong case for the implementation of measures that seek to empower or protect consumers”.
OECD – Fibre Access. Network Developments in the OECD Area
August 31st, 2011A recent addition to the OECD’s Digital Economy Paper series, this report surveys the progress of optical fibre adoption in local networks. As usual there is a rich mix of analysis and data. Thus the report reveals that Japan and Korea lead in the adoption of FTTH/B: 15 and 8 million subscribers respectively with the USA a poor third at just under 5 million. The report also lists major fibre investment programs with details of scope and financing – PPP is by far the most popular form of finance. The report’s policy suggestions include a recognition that government intervention may be needed to deliver fibre outside commercial areas while also highlighting the need for competition in existing access networks.
Accenture – Video-Over-Internet Survey
August 31st, 2011Accenture’s survey of over 6,500 consumers in seven countries (USA, UK, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Italy and Spain) highlights the challenge facing fixed and mobile network operators: over 60% are watching TV on the Internet and this proportion is increasing. It’s hardly surprising that consumers number one frustration is the time required to buffer/download/play the video. However network providers may be relieved that only a quarter of consumers are concerned by the increased data costs from downloading video.
