Mobile to generate data traffic equivalent to 3 trillion music track downloads by 2015

By Giselle Tsirulnik

April 1, 2011

A new report by Juniper Research predicts that mobile devices such as smartphones, feature phones and tablets will generate data traffic equivalent to 18 billion movie downloads by 2015.

To be exact, smartphones, feature phones and tablets will exceed 14,000 petabytes by 2019, Juniper said. This number is also equivalent to 3 trillion music track downloads.

“The report finds that it is important for the network operators to be cognizant of the net impact that both offload and onload have on the total data traffic through the network,” said Nitin Bhas, research analyst at Juniper Research, Hampshire, Britain.

“So even though data offload alleviates some of the operator’s network congestion, a significant proportion of the offload could itself be offset by fixed to mobile migration of data,” he said.

Data growth
Juniper claims that the pressure on mobile networks will ease as 63 percent of traffic, nearly 9,000 petabytes, moves across to Wi-Fi and Femtocell networks.

While data growth over the mobile network will be substantial, it will not be the “data explosion” that some have anticipated.

“The increased penetration of smartphones among consumers, that offer ubiquitous Internet access allied to a host of other Internet capable devices, including tablets, consoles, laptops and navigators, has been driving the data growth,” Mr. Bhas said.

Although Wi-Fi accounts for more than 90 percent of the traffic offloaded, Femtocells will account for a steadily increasing proportion over the forecast period.

Juniper forecasts that both will contribute to be a flexible solution that will co-exist and provide a big-win opportunity for the carriers.

Additionally, developing markets will witness highest growth percentage of data offloaded, with the strongest growth in the Indian Sub Continent region.

“Network operators need to view offloading solutions as complementary to their 3G/4G network providing opportunities to seize market share and revenues from fixed line operators, extending their reach beyond mobile and making their 3G/4G business case profitable,” Mr. Bhas said.

“As mobile data traffic is predicted to increase considerably, improved quality of service to the customers and reduced operational costs will be made possible by mobile data offload and other congestion control solutions,” he said

“Consumers are increasingly making use of the availability of Wi-Fi hotspots and already installed Wi-Fi access points at homes. Femtocell technology deployed primarily for coverage also drives the opportunity for data offload along with other complementary services.”