Mobile Applications: Impacts on Network Operations and Wireless Business Opportunities

Due to the rapid growth and evolution of the smart phone market, there are many conflicting developments now occurring. This research focuses on the smart phone’s mobile applications impact in the wireless marketplace, especially with respect to network operations and business opportunities. There are over 130 smart phone models currently on the market. The marketplace has developed quickly and there are only a few models that are popular and we will focus only on these units. This publication evaluates these particular smart phones and their impact on the wireless marketplace.

Key Findings:

• The Mobile application market forecast is a $9.0 billion revenue opportunity over the next few years.
• As the network operators desired, customers acquired smartphones and wireless data applications to improve their productivity.
• Due to the popularity of the Apple iPhone, the network operators supporting the iPhone are experiencing traffic congestion and throughput problems in areas with high concentrations of iPhone users.
• The handset vendors have taken the leadership role away from the network operators and are currently driving this market.

Apple has defined and driven this market to its current state. All other players in this market are reacting to Apple and playing catch up.

• Statistics show smart phones generate 30 times the traffic of basic cell phones leading to the network congestion being experienced.

Questions Answered

• What is behind the network congestion on ATT network?
• Why did this happen?
• Can it be corrected?
• Where will this market go?