Gartner expects mobile data traffic to swell 59% in 2015, with growth driven by newer and faster networks, a rise in the number of users of these networks, and more affordable 3G and 4G handsets.
The research firm said the key driver of data growth on a global scale is mobile apps, particularly mobile video apps, as people increasingly chat to friends and family, watch videos on the move, and listen to streamed music.
“Although 4G service prices are likely to fall to 3G levels to make them more affordable, 3G networks will continue to fuel worldwide data growth during the next five years,” said Jessica Ekholm, research director at Gartner.
“We expect 3G connections to grow by 45.7% globally in 2015, showing the longevity and importance of 3G networks,” Ekholm said.
Also, the availability of more affordable 4G handsets is fuelling growth in data traffic. Gartner predicts that, by 2018, 4G users will generate 46% of all mobile data traffic. By 2018, each 4G smartphone will use nearly 5.5GB of data per month — three times more than a 3G smartphone.
Further, Gartner expects that video streaming will account for over 60% of mobile data traffic in 2018, as consumers increase the number of videos they watch and upload. Fast, uninterrupted, video experiences encourage people to increase their video usage.
“The growth in the number of users of video-calling services is also noteworthy,” Ekholm said. “In addition, mobile music streaming can easily generate hundreds of megabytes of data.”