3GPP - 4G Americas

In a recent report from ABI Research, it was cited that mobile messaging services revenues will
grow from $151 billion in 2008 to greater than $212 billion globally by 2013. 54 Analyst Dan Shey
commented, “Mobile messaging ARPUs are 85%+ of all handset data services revenues
regardless of region.” 55
There are five common platforms that comprise mobile messaging: SMS,
MMS, voicemail, IM and email/unified messaging.
Smartphone and cell phone users have traditionally relied on their devices strictly for voice calls,
text messaging and email access. However, recent studies are finding that more individuals are
turning to their phones for recreation and leisure. Consumer demand for high end mobile
handsets, coupled with increasing interest in mobile social networking and entertainment, is
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skyrocketing due to innovations in technology and phones’ abilities to serve multiple purposes.
In a Nielsen survey of iPhone users and their data usage, 70% listened to audio tracks on their
phones (39% downloaded music directly to the device), 66% downloaded software and
applications, and 35% watched video on their phones (making them seven-times as likely as the
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typical mobile subscriber to do so). Nielsen also reported that 98% of iPhone users use at least
one data service and 43% have a monthly bill of more than $100 (compared to 20% of all
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subscribers).
According to a consumer study conducted by mobile technology and applications developer
Artificial Life, 46% of U.S. mobile subscribers now turn to their phones for entertainment
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purposes. Additionally, Strategy Analytics reports that total spending on mobile media services
by U.S. consumers and advertisers, including Web access, video and music products, will more
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than double – from almost $47 billion in 2007 to over $102 billion by 2012.
Mobile Internet is benefiting from the popularity of social networking websites (SNS), according to
M:Metrics. The media authority reported that social networking and Internet commerce is
compelling smartphone users to spend an average of four hours and thirty-eight minutes per
month browsing the mobile Web in the U.S. and two and a half hours per month in Britain.
M:Metrics noted that Craigslist was the most popular mobile Internet destination while MySpace
and Facebook and were third and fourth most popular, respectively. Facebook was named the
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number one most popular search term in the UK.
In an online study conducted by ABI Research, 46% of those who use social networks have also
visited a social network using a mobile phone, of which nearly 70% had visited MySpace and
67% had visited Facebook. No other social networking sites were reported to have reached 15%
54 No Slowing of Mobile Messaging Services Growth in Tough Economic Times. FierceWireless. 10
November 2008.
55 Ibid.
56 Ankeny, Jason. Not Just Busienss as Usual – Artificial Life Discovers Almost Half of U.S. Mobile Phone
Users Turn to Their Devices for Entertainment. FierceWireless. 1 October 2008.
57 Nielsen: 3.6 million iPhone users 13+ (and other iPhone insights). Fierce Wireless. 13 November 2008.
58 Ibid.
59 Ankeny, Jason. Study: Half of U.S. Users Embracing Mobile Entertainment. FierceMobileContent. 1
October 2008.
60 Ibid.
61 Americans Spend More Than 4.5 Hours per Month Browsing on Smartphones, Nearly Double the Rate of
the British. Press Release (Market Wire) M:Metrics. 21 May 2008.
www.3GAmericas.org February 2009 Page 26