The GSMA is predicting that the total mobile broadband subscribers in key European markets will rise from about 22 million at the end of 2009 to over 43 million in 2011. Citing figures from global analyst house CCS Insight, the GSMA is also forecasting that total revenue from mobile broadband access in the major markets will rise from less than EUR 6 billion in 2009 to more than EUR 11 billion in 2011.
“It is clear from this report that with the right network investment, European mobile network operators will see significant growth in Mobile Broadband adoption in the next two years,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer at the GSMA. “HSPA technology will drive this rapid uptake across Europe as mobile operators and their customers continue to benefit from its expanding, vibrant and competitive ecosystem. HSPA technology has a vast number of enabled devices and established roaming capabilities delivering high speed broadband connectivity to users on the move, right across Europe.”
Key points contained within the CCS Insight report include:
- In Italy, most access is charged by the minute, while operators elsewhere, particularly in the UK, have largely adopted flat-rate, all-you-can-eat models
- Among Europe’s major markets, the highest charging countries for Mobile Broadband are France, where 4GB of data can cost a subscriber almost €85 a month, and Germany, where subscribers can pay €45 for each gigabyte of data
- The least expensive Mobile Broadband in the top five markets can be found in the UK, where competition is fierce, where subscribers can pay less than €17 a month for 3GB of data traffic, and less than €5 for each gigabyte of data
- France and Spain will see the fastest growth in Mobile Broadband users, and the advent of new subscribers — and a fourth operator in France — will be accompanied by a reduction in average charges
- The most common allowances across Europe are 1GB, 3GB and 5GB a month
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