Mobile Subscriber Numbers Reach for the Stars

Venerable scientist and visionary Carl Sagan was right when he used the term ‘billions and billions’. However, in this case, the deceased but always remembered Sagan may have referred to the expected growth in mobile subscribers over the next few years.

According to market watcher ABI Research, mobile subscriptions will reach 4.3 billion in 2009 and grow to nearly 5.4 billion by 2013. Driving this growth are user demands to stay in touch, to be informed and to be entertained. Add to this evolving and changing distribution models, a greater choice of connected devices, faster networks and proliferation of mobile applications, and you have the ‘perfect storm’ of activities for mobile systems.

“Customers increasingly want a personalized experience with their mobile device and service. Service personalization involves not only allowing them to find and select the right mobile services and applications but also to control, monitor, and pay for mobile services in a way that best suits their needs," says ABI Research Mobile Services practice director Dan Shey.

Senior analyst Jeff Orr adds, “Although the mobile consumer can be defined by mobile voice subscriptions and spending on messaging, web access and other mobile data services, those measurements are simplistic. Mobile consumers are increasingly defined by the applications they acquire to personalize their mobile experience, by their adoption of mobile broadband, their shopping choices, and how, when and where they use their mobile services.”

Challenges ahead: Making informed choices about this complex mobile customer landscape and planning, creating, deploying and operating mobile services.

This data was released by ABI Research and its “The Mobile Consumer Research Service”. More info at http://www.abiresearch.com/..

Bright Future for User-Generated Video

By David Farquhar
European Editor

While it won't be a surprise to anyone in the know, user-generated video is growing at a rapid clip (excuse the pun!), with a lot of that growth coming from places like China, according to market researchers.

The forecasts for User-Generated Video (UGV) use and revenue have shifted upward since last year, says In-Stat, with an increasing effort towards developing more high quality content.

China is actually second to the U.S. in terms of the UGV's global reach and appeal, although participation is still stratified by age, says the market researcher.

Key findings of In-Stat's research:

- Total worldwide UGV revenue is expected to eclipse US$1.19 billion by 2012.

- 160 billion UGV served videos are forecast for 2012.

- Individuals who use mobile phones to participate in online video sites are most likely to contribute to the market (both financially and in terms of content).

UGV is also expected to increase in other parts of the world as so-called 'citizen journalists' pick up their cameras and video-capable cell phones and broadcast news outside of the restrictions of freedom of the press-impaired countries.

The movement toward higher quality and higher-definition video - as well as the development of more sophisticated and capable mobile devices - is also expected to add fuel to the UGV fire worldwide.