Australia - Mobile Data - SMS - Overview and Statistics

Synopsis

The SMS service is one of the few remaining cash cows for mobile network operators. The cost of each message for customers is far higher than the cost to transmit the data across the network. As a result, SMS revenue has traditionally accounted for a large proportion of overall mobile data revenue. The ongoing evolution of technologies deployed in mobile networks, particularly with LTE as well as the development of OTT services carried over these networks, has resulted in a significant shift in mobile data use. As consumers are now able to make use of a wider range of high-end mobile data services, including mobile video-streaming, the proportion of SMS to overall revenue for operators is diminishing.

While the SMS service remains popular (given that the cost of a message is generally up to a third the cost of a phone call, while many recipients prefer the convenience of messages rather than the interruption caused by calls) there is also increasing competition from OTT services such as WhatsApp, Skype, Viber and built-in messaging services from the likes of Facebook and other social media providers.

The preponderance of bundled plans which include a large number of texts and voice minutes has also helped to retain the popularity of messaging, though at the expense of SMS revenue for operators. In addition to these pressures, the ACCC has proposed that the price charged by an MNO for an SMS message received should be reduced to 0.03 cents, effective from January 2016 to June 2019.

This report provides an overview of the mobile data SMS market in Australia, including SMS usage statistics, and analysis of key market trends.

Key developments:

Short Messaging Services (SMS), PSMS, MMS, regulations, iMessage, OTT services, revenue, ACMA’s market report for 2015; Telstra’s operational data to December 2015.

Companies mentioned in this report include:

Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, VHA.