ICT Statistics Newslog - Value added services

Mobile Messaging Revenues to Defy Economic Downturn

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:14:24 GMT

Mobile messaging vendor, Airwide Solutions has published the results of an independent study on the use of mobile messaging across the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The results prove that despite warnings of turmoil throughout the global economy, growth in mobile messaging shows no signs of slowing.

The study shows that the number of people sending text messages (SMS) across the EU is growing 3.3 percent year on year, a figure only beaten by MMS which is growing by 9.2 percent.

Click here to see full article>

The UK is faring particularly well with over 25 million text messages sent each day. Growth is driven in particular by people who earn over £30,000 as those sending SMS messages every day is increasing 16.9 percent year on year. However, the growth in mobile messaging by those earning less than £30,000 is also doing well with almost 4 percent annual growth of those sending SMS everyday. France is seeing the second biggest increase with 8.1 percent more people sending text messages this year than the same period last year. Interestingly the French have also been the most keen to embrace picture messaging with 15.2 percent more people sending MMS than in 2007 (the biggest increase across Europe).

However, it is not only Europe which is seeing a continued growth in SMS and MMS. Airwide predicts a worldwide growth in mobile messaging over the next few years, particularly in less economically developed and newly industrialised regions such Asia and Africa where fixed lines are expensive and difficult to set up. It is in these regions where mobile phones are being used not only as a communications tool but also as a driver for social change, making communications easier, cheaper and much less time-consuming.

In the Western World, growth will be fuelled by a combination of mobile operators introducing a greater number of personalised services such as out-of-office, auto-forward and storage/back-up capabilities along with a continued uptake in mobile marketing and advertising -- a development which in 2009 will see the introduction of location based mobile advertising.

Jay Seaton, Chief Marketing Officer at Airwide Solutions, commented: "Whilst an increase in mobile messaging traffic is certainly good news for the industry, it also underlines the need to ensure that an operator's underlying infrastructure is efficient and equipped to support the increase in traffic volumes over the years ahead. With most people now relying on their text and picture messages being delivered instantaneously, mobile operators cannot afford for their infrastructure to become congested. As the volume of messaging increases, they also need to be able to protect their networks and subscribers from potential security threats such as mobile fraud, spam and viruses."

Source: Cellular News.

Mobile Payment Transaction Values to Exceed $300bn Within 5 Years

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:03:05 GMT

A new analysis of the mobile payments opportunity forecasts that the gross transaction value of payments made via mobile phone for digital goods (such as music, tickets and games) and physical goods (typically gifts and books) will exceed $300bn globally by 2013.

A region by region analysis by Juniper Research found that there is a significant and immediate opportunity for mobile payment services, systems, software and supporting services to underpin the processing of this value of payment transactions by 2013. With applications and service case studies, the study explores how the mobile phone is developing into a payment tool that will be used by more and more people, more and more often in future.

Report author Howard Wilcox noted: "Merchants in North America and Western Europe are just starting to realise the potential of a mobile web presence as a fourth channel to market. Retailers should be evaluating the benefits of the mobile web, and be mindful of the success of regular ecommerce sites in generating sales. They need to move quickly to exploit the opportunity presented, and ensure that they maintain ease of use for their customers who are already familiar with web shopping from their PCs."

Highlights from the report include:

Global annual gross transaction value will grow over 5 times by 2013
The ticketing segment will be driven by consumer usage on rail, air and bus networks as well as sports and entertainment events. This will represent over 40% of the global transaction value by 2013
The top 2 regions (Far East and W. Europe) will represent over 60% of the $300bn p.a. global mobile payment gross transaction value by 2013 for digital and physical goods

Western Europe is currently dominated by digital goods and services sold via SMS, whereas the Far East & China region (specifically Japan) is already well established in physical goods sales over the mobile web, and has been for a number of years.

Source: Cellular News.

Worldwide Services Spending to Surpass $965 Billion by 2012

Fri, 16 May 2008 07:51:08 GMT

IDC is forecasting that companies and government agencies will spend more than US$746 billion on external services in 2008, representing a growth rate of 6.8% over 2007. Despite - and in some cases because of - a weak U.S. economy, there are many market forces driving enterprises to continue to turn to service vendors for assistance. Additionally, increased customer use of new and often disruptive delivery options (e.g., hosting, SaaS, and utility computing) will encourage service provides, especially outsourcers, to focus their investments in these areas.

"In these tough economic times, service vendors are faced with both new and old challenges. The worldwide services competitive landscape keeps intensifying with many new entrants with new business and pricing models as well as the strengthened capabilities of up-and-coming players that are extending their reach into new markets. This is a time for service vendors to aggressively review their portfolio of offerings, account targets, investment strategies, business processes, and delivery practices," said Marianne Hedin, program manager for Worldwide Services and SOA: The Services Opportunity research services.

Click here to see full article>

Source: Cellular News.