With the global economy showing signs of a deep recession, mobile phone usage will continue to escalate, regardless.
In a recent market study by ABI Research, mobile messaging services revenues are forecast to grow from $151 billion in 2008 to greater than $212 billion globally by 2013. Supply side drivers will be of primary importance for maintaining this level of growth.
ABI's principal analyst Dan Shey said "Mobile messaging ARPUs are 85+ percent of all handset data services revenues regardless of region and will remain so for many years."
As messaging involves all the biggest players in the mobile industry there will be incentives for all mobile messaging suppliers to work cooperatively to serve customers well and propel all parties through these rough economic waters.
The important messaging suppliers include operators, device OEMs, content providers and middleware vendors. But although these suppliers can make the mobile messaging experience as pleasurable as possible, there must also be valid practical reasons for customers to use them and to and consider upgrading to new plans and services.
One of the main reasons: more and more customers see mobile messaging services as a more efficient way to communicate than voice services.
The utility of mobile services will keep them a necessity in tough economic times, particularly since displaced workers need to be mobile to find work.
In its study, ABI examines the messaging market across five common platforms -- SMS, MMS, voicemail, IM, and e-mail/unified messaging. The research details not only the drivers from the consumer and business perspectives, but also the supply-side drivers including those from device vendors, operators and middleware providers.
Forecasts are provided for revenues, ARPUs, customers, penetration and usage for the SMS and MMS services and the e-mail and IM platforms. Distribution by type of delivery and payment method is also provided for each of the five mobile services platforms.
All forecasts are for each of five world regions, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Rest of World.
In a recent market study by ABI Research, mobile messaging services revenues are forecast to grow from $151 billion in 2008 to greater than $212 billion globally by 2013. Supply side drivers will be of primary importance for maintaining this level of growth.
ABI's principal analyst Dan Shey said "Mobile messaging ARPUs are 85+ percent of all handset data services revenues regardless of region and will remain so for many years."
As messaging involves all the biggest players in the mobile industry there will be incentives for all mobile messaging suppliers to work cooperatively to serve customers well and propel all parties through these rough economic waters.
The important messaging suppliers include operators, device OEMs, content providers and middleware vendors. But although these suppliers can make the mobile messaging experience as pleasurable as possible, there must also be valid practical reasons for customers to use them and to and consider upgrading to new plans and services.
One of the main reasons: more and more customers see mobile messaging services as a more efficient way to communicate than voice services.
The utility of mobile services will keep them a necessity in tough economic times, particularly since displaced workers need to be mobile to find work.
In its study, ABI examines the messaging market across five common platforms -- SMS, MMS, voicemail, IM, and e-mail/unified messaging. The research details not only the drivers from the consumer and business perspectives, but also the supply-side drivers including those from device vendors, operators and middleware providers.
Forecasts are provided for revenues, ARPUs, customers, penetration and usage for the SMS and MMS services and the e-mail and IM platforms. Distribution by type of delivery and payment method is also provided for each of the five mobile services platforms.
All forecasts are for each of five world regions, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Rest of World.