Mobile Network Operators will focus on the core services of voice, SMS and data to the detriment of traditional Value Added Services. This will have the following consequences:
- Increased expenditure in building infrastructure – penetration, speed and capacity.
- Data prices will fall, more subscribers will use data and overall data revenues will grow.
- Lite/2G data applications and websites, and hi-compression browsers such as Opera Mini and UCWEB will continue to grow in importance.
- 3G coverage will continue to grow, especially into rural areas.
- Feature phones will not significantly decrease in price but they will become more powerful and the number of feature phones in the market will increase as older models are handed down and new handsets are purchased.
- As more people access mobile data Value Added Services move to web and mobile applications.
- In-App payments capabilities will become critical. These could be via subscriber billing or mobile money solutions. In most cases these will need to be facilitated by the Network Operators.
- Mobile advertising as a means of revenue generation will become more important and will become more sophisticated including big data techniques.
