Date: 04/08/2010

Mobile data usage surpasses voice traffic

With the 3G spreading the voice traffic on mobile network is overtaken by data traffic in some of the regions. ABI Research reports From 2009 to 2015 data usage in Western Europe and North America is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 42% and 55% respectively. In 2010, the average North American user is expected to consume 159 megabytes of data - up from 100 megabytes in 2009.

"Mobile voice has already been surpassed by mobile data traffic on some networks, and this trend will only accelerate," says ABI Research wireless analyst Bhavya Khanna. "This boom in usage is driven by the rapid adoption of smartphones in these markets."

Due to reduction in cost per MB of upload/download the rise in data revenues for operators is not in sync with usage. ABI says mobile data revenues are expected to grow at a CAGR of about 18% in North America, in sharp contrast to the increase in usage.

In India with the 3G going bigway by the end of 2010, the operators might have to come up with creative tariff plans for a mix of voice and data traffic.