Wireless blog: Video streaming and downloads will contribute the largest proportions of total usage on 3G devices
The service mix on mobile devices will see a radical change in the next few years. The overall mix of wireless network traffic will change significantly between 2009 and 2014, with traffic-intensive data services dominating the mix.
Video streaming and downloads will contribute the largest proportions of total data usage in developed markets, at 48.1% in 2014, as shown in the figure below. This is because video services will require a relatively high data rate and will be popular services, being adopted by many users and used for a significant period of time.
The next biggest contributor to data usage will be browsing, at 17.0% by 2014. Browsing will be widely used as a means of accessing information and services, whether on PCs (via a USB modem or datacard) or on mobile devices. The increasing popularity of using wireless access for these services, coupled with increasing complexity of Web content, will cause this data traffic increase.
Average data usage per 3G device, split by data service, in the integrated scenario, 2008–2014
By 2014, data services will account for about 99% of all service usage, as shown in the figure below.
Average service usage per 3G device, split by service, 2008-2014
About the author:
Alastair Brydon has written over 40 research reports on the biggest issues in the telecom industry, including mobile coverage. He is co-founder of Unwired Insight.
