Report: WCIS Insight: Non-SMS Data

“A detailed analysis of the key factors underpinning the upturn in non-SMS data revenues globally. ”

Key issues addressed:

Key Coverage

For some time in the mobile industry, messaging has been the major non-voice service. But in 2007 the picture began to change significantly. In the US, non-SMS data reached and exceeded 50% of all data revenue at the largest mobile operators.
The surge in the number of HSPA subscriptions has been driven by the popularity of datacards, USB modem sticks and dongles for laptop Internet access which many users are buying in addition to their mobile handset subscriptions.
Charging for data services is following a similar trend almost everywhere. The move towards flat-rate charging - providing data at a fixed rate per month, with some limits depending on the level of service - is now ubiquitous.
The introduction of the iPhone has bumped up mobile Internet browsing significantly for those users. T-Mobile Germany, the first operator to sell the iPhone in that market, announced in 1Q08 that average mobile data consumption, mostly for mobile Internet browsing, was up to 30 times more than for users of other handsets.
According to AT&T Mobility in the US, an increase in its data revenues reflects the growing adoption of smartphones and 3G wireless devices. It said that in 4Q07 subscribers with 3G devices yielded 20% higher ARPU than 2G users, with owners of integrated devices (defined by the operator as devices that feature a QWERTY or touch-screen keyboard) generating ARPU that is 120% higher.

Who should read this report:

Countries covered: