New research from network management company Arieso shows that a small percentage of mobile broadband users are responsible for half of all traffic on 3G networks. The study also claims that demand for mobile broadband is increasing faster than the industry expected due to the availability of new 3G services, devices like smartphones and tablets and mobile apps.
Arieso’s research shows that ‘extreme’ mobile internet users that consume the most data are also becoming more reliant on mobile broadband for browsing as well as streaming video and downloading files. The company believes this will cause more problems for mobile network providers worldwide that are already facing capacity shortages, with issues only increasing further in 2012.
Using Apple’s iPhone 3G as the benchmark, the research team produced a report that shows mobile broadband use for a host of devices. Where users of the iPhone 3G boasted 100 percent volume data consumption, those using 3G modems showed scores of 2,654 for uplink volume and 2,432 percent for downlink volume.
Author of the study and chief technology offer for Arieso Dr Michael Flanagan said that the introduction of increasingly hi-tech mobile devices and the growing need for internet access any place and anytime by consumers was placing extreme pressure on mobile network operators. Dr Flanagan said: “The capacity crunch is still a very real threat for mobile operators and it looks set to only get harder in 2012. The mobile industry needs new investment and new approaches to boost network performance and manage the customer experience.”
He also stated his belief that without preparing for increased mobile data consumption, mobile network operators stand to suffer financially, with operational costs sure to spiral out of control.
Another recent report, this time conducted by Ericsson, stated that mobile data use is set to increase ten times over in the next five years, with mobile broadband users set to rise to five billion by 2016. It remains to be seen what contingency plans mobile operators will implement in response to these figures.