Though mobile services have been the clear growth driver for the global telecommunications industry over the past decade or two, and though mobile data has taken the growth leadership from voice and text messaging, mobile revenue growth rates are slowing, globally.
Global mobile service revenue in the first half of 2014 grew just 0.5 percent, compared to the same quarter of 2013, to $385.5 billion, according to Infonetics Research.
At the same time, voice usage slightly slowed, caused by an increase in use of over-the-top communications alternatives.
Also, mobile Internet access overtook SMS as the largest revenue generator of mobile data, Infonetics Research reports.
Mobile Internet access revenue rose 26 percent in the first half of 2014, compared to the first half of 2013, and mobile Internet access now drives mobile data services revenue growth.
Despite the growth of mobile data revenues, average revenue per user continues to fall, but at a much slower pace in every region, including developing Asia Pacific, says Infonetics Research.
That is one reason why we now are hearing so much about the Internet of Things, machine to machine communications and connected cars. The next wave of revenue growth, beyond mobile, mobile voice, text messaging and mobile Internet access, must now be discovered and realized.
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