What Does The Future of Mobile Data Look Like?

Cisco recently released its Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update for 2013-2018.  The report includes projections on major global mobile data traffic and growth trends.  If you want to read the full 40-page report, you can get it here.  We read it all and included the most interesting and relevant facts below.

Looking at the past

In 2013, global mobile data traffic grew 81%.  Globally, 45% of total mobile data traffic was offloaded onto the fixed network through Wi-Fi or femtocell in 2013.  Monthly, 1.2 exabytes of mobile data traffic were offloaded onto the fixed network.

Curious how much data is in an Exabyte?  1,073,741,824 gigabytes worth.

 

 

Looking at the present

By the end of this year, the number of mobile-connected devices will exceed the world’s population.

How many mobile connected devices is that? Over 7,000,000,000. 

Looking at the future

By 2018, there will be more traffic offloaded from cellular networks onto WiFi than there will be on the cell networks themselves.

What will all of that traffic and data consist of?  According to Cisco, two-thirds of it will by video.  That’s a 14X projected increase in mobile video between 2013 and 2018.

Hopefully over the next 4 years we’ll experience a cultural shift away from cat videos.

So what does this all mean?

If you’re sick of seeing people on their phones at dinner, or staring at a screen while they walk down the street, it doesn’t look like those behaviors will change anytime soon.  As more smartphones are sold and produced, with more people starting to use these devices, the burden on WiFi to handle that traffic will not subside.  With all the additional data being consumed around the globe, mobile phone carriers will need to design devices with faster WiFi speeds or more affordable data plans for consumers.  For physical businesses, WiFi will continue to become an expected utility, and the onus on business owners to offer free connectivity will continue to grow.

If you’re a business owner that wants to start reaping benefits from offering WiFi to your customers, SocialSign.in can help.  Email info@socialsign.in to get started, or visit our website to learn more about our software and services.