The usage patterns of end consumers is having significant effects on the telecoms market. Already, more than 60% of high-end smartphone users have browsed the internet or used applications on their mobile handset, compared to only around 15% of users with other phones.
This is expected to reinforce a long-established trend in most of the developed world: voice and messaging revenue is expected to decline or plateau, while data revenue is expected to continue to increase rapidly.
Analysys Mason forecasts that voice services will continue to be the main contributor to handset ARPU in western Europe during the next five years; however revenue will decline at a CAGR of –6% in nominal terms.
