LTE Smartphones and Tablets Drive Increased Data Usage of Both Cellular and Wi-Fi Networks According to New Research

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Mobidia Technology, Inc., a leading provider of device-centric, mobile data solutions, and Informa Telecoms & Media, a leading analyst firm, jointly released new research and the second part of their popular whitepaper, "Understanding Today's Smartphone Users," which offers new insights into the use of smartphones and tablets and challenges some standard industry assumptions about their users.

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With a rapidly growing body of data, Mobidia is able to provide mobile operators and the global mobile industry ecosystem with unique insight into subscriber behavior surrounding data usage on all the networks to which smartphones and tablets connect, including mobile cellular (and LTE), roaming and Wi-Fi. The data also differentiates usage patterns and behavior across device types and mobile operating systems.

By looking at this behavior, Mobidia and Informa have been able to draw the following conclusions among others:

• As expected, LTE networks and devices are stimulating increased data usage – in some cases up to 50 percent more.  The data also demonstrates how the adoption of LTE is encouraging users to migrate their usage of applications that were previously largely restricted to Wi-Fi onto 4G LTE networks.
• Contrary to common assumptions, iPhone users actually consume more data than Android users in most developed countries.  Android users often use more cellular data but when including Wi-Fi and cellular data, iPhone users average 37 percent more data per month than Android.
• Intuitively, higher data plans lead to more cellular data usage. However, Wi-Fi usage is surprisingly consistent across users with varying cellular data plans – even those with smaller plans sized below 500MB.
• Similar to previous findings using Android-only data, iPhone users in most countries rely on Wi-Fi networks as their primary network connection. In countries such as Germany, Wi-Fi usage can be as much as 10 times that of cellular data usage.

Figure 1: http://www.mobidia.com/press/images/pressFig1_01aug12.png

Figure 2: http://www.mobidia.com/press/images/pressFig2_01aug12.png

"Mobidia's device-centric approach to a comprehensive understanding of wireless subscribers continues to yield a unique view and valuable insights into how people use their smartphones and tablets," said Mobidia Vice President of Marketing Chris Hill. "Operators, OEMs, and others in the industry building networks, devices, offers and plans really need to fully understand data usage on all networks, including Wi-Fi, to truly understand how subscribers are using and valuing their technology."

Mobidia's data makes it clear that measurement of cellular-only usage patterns is only part of the picture when it comes to how consumers are using data. In fact, Informa's analysis reveals that a cellular-only measurement of user demand can understate Android and iOS smartphone-originated traffic by a factor of several multiples in the world's most advanced Wi-Fi markets.

"Mobidia's  data shows that Wi-Fi is now established as the primary means of data connectivity for a large and growing base of smartphone users across all major operating systems," said Thomas Wehmeier, Informa principal analyst. "The key for operators to monetize additional cellular usage will be to invest in and enhance the capabilities of existing mobile networks, to identify and prioritize applications that are reliant on the inherent benefits of cellular networks, and, most importantly, to develop pricing strategies that allow operators to realign the price of access with the undoubted value perceived by the vast majority of customers. Mobidia's data can provide the key insights to help operators achieve these goals."

Informa's findings and conclusions based on Mobidia's data are fully outlined in a whitepaper titled, "Understanding Today's Smartphone User: Demystifying Data Usage Trends on Cellular & Wi-Fi Networks. Part 2: An Expanded View by Data Plan Size, OS, Device Type and LTE." In addition to Wi-Fi usage data, the whitepaper also provides interesting insights into time-of-day usage patterns, top app usage, and tethering across different networks and geographies. 

Note to Editor:

Informa Telecoms & Media and Mobidia collaborated to analyze data collected in May 2012 from hundreds of thousands of global smartphone users to determine data-usage trends. This data was collected on a strictly anonymous and opt-in basis from a sample of the more than 1.5 million subscribers who have downloaded Mobidia's smartphone application, My Data Manager. The data sample represents smartphone users from more than 600 mobile operators worldwide.

About Mobidia Technology, Inc.

Mobidia develops and delivers intelligent, client-based solutions for enhancing wireless data with leading mobile operators around the world. Mobidia's popular My Data Manager application has been downloaded approximately 1.5 million times by subscribers around the world looking to better manage their mobile data usage and data plans. Mobidia offers a white-labeled version of the application to mobile operators for customizing to increase subscriber satisfaction and decrease care costs, to increase the efficiency of up-selling and cross-selling promotions, and to develop a unique view of usage trends across cellular, roaming, and Wi-Fi networks. A cloud-based architecture allows for integration with back end billing and analytics systems.

Mobidia is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia with local presence in the U.S., Europe and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.mobidia.com or call 604-304-8640.

About Informa Telecoms & Media

Informa Telecoms & Media is the leading provider of business intelligence and strategic marketing solutions to global telecoms and media markets. Driven by constant first-hand contact with the industry, our 60 analysts and researchers produce a range of intelligence services including news and analytical products, in-depth market reports and datasets focused on technology, strategy and content.

SOURCE Mobidia Technology, Inc.