Mobile Data Traffic - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics

Global Mobile Data Traffic Market to Reach 220.8 Million Terabytes per Month by the Year 2026

Mobile data traffic is the volume of data traffic transmitted over mobile networks and includes handset based non-voice data communications traffic like text/multimedia messaging and a range of mobile Internet services. Mobile Internet continues to witness significant expansion as is evident by ongoing increase in subscriber base and usage volumes. Growth in the global market is set to be driven by a number of factors including greater uptake of cloud-based video streaming solutions, increasing volume of live streamed content, the rising popularity of videogame streaming services, and growing use of videos as corporate training material. A growing number of mobile users are leveraging mobile internet for web browsing, social networking, mobile messaging, VoIP calling, file sharing, video viewing and e-commerce, all of which are contributing to steep increase in mobile internet usage. In addition to these global drivers, the market is also driven by increasing use of online audios, videos and data sharing files in emerging economies. Further, the market presents lucrative opportunities for higher penetration of mobile data traffic, as the educational sector embraces video streaming and highly advanced technologies get integrated into video platforms to deliver high quality videos and engaging viewer experiences. Demand for Mobile Internet is also being influenced by increased deployments of 4G and 5G networks and expanding user base for mobile services over these advanced mobile networks across the world.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Mobile Data Traffic estimated at 47.6 Million Terabytes per Month in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of 220.8 Million Terabytes per Month by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 28% over the analysis period. Video, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 30.4% CAGR to reach 196.5 Million Terabytes per Month by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Social Networking segment is readjusted to a revised 26.6% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 12% share of the global Mobile Data Traffic market. Mobile video especially is gaining tremendous popularity over the last few years with video-on-demand, video telephony and video messaging capturing a significant share of the market`s revenue. The rise in mobile video is primarily driven by increasing investment in social video and mobile-friendly Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) platform. In the recent past, social networking has emerged as one of the most performed Internet-based activity among smartphone users. The ever-growing numbers of smartphone users accessing social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+ clearly demonstrate the penchant for these sites among smartphone owners.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at 4.5 Million Terabytes per Month in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach 61 Million Terabytes by 2026

The Mobile Data Traffic market in the U.S. is estimated at 4.5 Million Terabytes per Month in the year 2021. The country currently accounts for a 7.2% share in the global market. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of 61 Million Terabytes per Month in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 24.7% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 17.3% and 21.3% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 19.7% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach 3.4 Million Terabytes per Month by the end of the analysis period. The combination of an extensive smartphone user base, data-intensive applications and huge data plans are anticipated to increase mobile data traffic in North America region. Long-term growth of data in North America is expected to be favored by increasing focus of customers on immersive services using augmented and virtual reality. The region is estimated to hold a commanding position in terms of 5G subscription penetration over the coming years. Mobile data traffic is anticipated to exhibit similar growth patterns in Western Europe. India is anticipated to make a significant contribution to mobile data traffic in Asia-Pacific in the coming years. India witnessed a significant wave of digitalization and smartphone subscriptions amid the COVID-19 pandemic that prompted a large number of people to embrace digital services. The trend along factors like remote working and increasing dependence on mobile networks for staying connected are leading to a notable spike in smartphone-based monthly data usage.

Audio Segment to Reach 4.7 Million Terabytes per Month by 2026

Mobile Audio services basically include streaming of digital audio content such as music over mobile networks. Popularity of digital music, wider availability of sophisticated mobile handsets and high-speed data networks are enhancing the Internet-enabled mobile audio traffic. In the global Audio segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 14.5% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of 913.8 Thousand Terabytes per Month in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of 2.4 Million Terabytes per Month by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach 2 Million Terabytes per Month by the year 2026, while Latin America will expand at a 19.2% CAGR through the analysis period.

Select Competitors (Total 53 Featured) -

• AT&T
• Bharti Airtel Limited
• China Mobile Limited
• China Telecom Corporation Limited
• China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited
• KDDI Corp.
• KT Corp.
• NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
• Orange S.A.`
• SK Telecom
• Telefónica S.A.
• Telenor ASA
• Telstra Corporation Limited
• T-Mobile International AG & Co. KG
• Verizon Communications, Inc.
• Vodafone Group Plc