Mobile data roaming with account for up to 56 per cent of global roaming revenues by 2019, generating approximately $50bn (£31.8bn) as data use grows, according to global analyst firm Ovum.
Europe continues to be the largest contributor to global roaming revenues, accounting for 46 per cent of global roaming, according to the latest forecasts, with much of the revenue growth coming from within the EU.
Revenue contribution is also on the grow in Asia, particularly central and southern Asia, which is expected to grow at a compound average growth rate of 12 per cent over the next five years, one of the highest rates globally.
As voice revenues begin to stagnate, mobile data will experience greater and greater growth, as data heavy services like streaming video and data sharing grow in popularity. The increasing penetration of smartphones and SIM-enabled tablets, alongside the deployment of LTE networks, is driving the growth of mobile data usage, with users expecting the same services everywhere, whether at home or abroad.
“To meet these expectations, operators are extending the reach of their LTE networks through agreements with operators in other markets,” said Nishi Verma Nangia, senior analyst at Ovum. “In doing so, [they] are laying a solid foundation to allow travelers to maintain the same high-speed access to the Internet they have while in their home markets.”
Source: http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/mobile-data-half-of-roaming-2019
