Europe - Mobile Data Market Insights

Synopsis

The enormous potential for Europe’s mobile data market is driven by the region’s population, the rapid development of mobile technologies, and the growing number of content available through mobile portals and new applications stores. Gaming, video and music portals have become available from many operators, and flat-rate plans will continue to encourage a greater number of 3G subscribers to use high-end data services. Yet while mobile data use is still affected by high costs, many subscribers still view some services such as mobile TV as lacking interest or value.

Investments in HSPA and LTE will deliver mobile data services to a wider customer base, and for the first time present mobile broadband as a viable alternative to fixed-line offers. Upgrades have also been supplemented with femtocell technology to cope with bandwidth demand. This report reviews the mobile data market in Europe, including spectrum developments, technologies including HSPA and LTE, VOLTE and messaging services. It assesses the potential for further growth and development to the end of the decade.

Key developments:

4G standards agreed by ITU; EC co-ordinates framework for m-payment systems; LTE handsets prep for mid-2012 launch; first VoLTE calls handed off to 3G networks; UMTS Forum alls for more spectrum allocation to meet mobile data demand to 2020; EC invests in 5G technologies; pmarket developments to May 2013.

Companies covered in this report include:

Ericsson, NTT DoCoMo, Motorola, Huawei, H3, Telecom Italia, Vodafone, Telefónica, T-Mobile.