Summary
'Mobile Data Pricing: Innovative Practices to Drive Adoption and Traffic,' a new Research Report by Pyramid Research, provides a strategic analysis of the mobile data opportunity across different regions through 2018, and keys to developing the mobile data business. The report includes an in-depth assessment of mobile service provider pricing plans worldwide, identifying effective data plans and best practices to grow mobile data usage and revenue. The report incorporates detailed country case analyses for China, France, India, Japan, the UK and the US, with examples of a variety of pricing schemes from different market environments and types of players.
Key Findings
- Mobile data has emerged as the single most important driver of telecom revenue growth. Pyramid Research forecasts that mobile data revenue will reach $633bn globally in 2018, increasing from 40% of overall mobile revenue in 2013 to 52% in 2018. Asia-Pacific, the world's most populous region, which accounted for 37.8% of the world's mobile data revenue in 2013, should lead this expansion.
- Increasing uptake of 4G data services will shape future mobile data usage and adoption. We expect the global 4G subscription base to surge at a CAGR of 52%, from 211 million in 2013 to 1,750 million in 2018. Almost all major MNOs have already deployed or are in the process of deploying their own 4G networks.
- The transformation of mobile operator business models is evident in their pricing strategies. With mobile voice revenue on the decline, operators are increasingly selling mobile data; unlimited voice and text messaging services are thrown into data bundles that are priced by their different bandwidth allowances, as well as into quadruple-play bundles. Innovative pricing schemes that are resulting in increased data traffic and revenue include shared data plans, specialized tariff plans (for premium content, specific applications and social media) and tariffs that cover the cost of mobile devices.
- Prepaid data plans are further extending the mobile data proposition to consumer segments with low data usage and increasing mobile data consumption, particularly in emerging markets. Similarly, partnerships with mobile device manufacturers as well as OTT players are accelerating mobile data adoption in these markets.
- Smaller operators and new entrants have gained significant market share with disruptive pricing strategies that involve lowered data tariffs and unlimited data plans. Most rely on Wi-Fi offloading to reduce costs, but EBITDA margins have been affected as a result, except when offered by larger operators in emerging markets where volumes have made up for the difference.
Synopsis
“Mobile Data Pricing: Innovative Practices to Drive Adoption and Traffic ” a new Research Report by Pyramid Research, provides a strategic analysis of the mobile data opportunity across different regions through 2019, and keys to developing the mobile data business. The report includes an in-depth assessment of mobile service provider pricing plans worldwide, identifying effective data plans and best practices to grow mobile data usage and revenue. The report incorporates detailed country case analyses for China, France, India, Japan, the UK and the US, with examples of a variety of pricing schemes from different market environments and types of players.
The report has three main sections:
- Strategic business analysis, where we look at the contribution of mobile data to overall operator revenues; in addition, we analyze the major mobile data adoption trends in key countries and by region and look at how they are likely to pan out in the future.
- Mobile data pricing strategies, where we analyze the different mobile data strategies being implemented by operators in order to increase mobile data usage and maximize revenue; we also identify best practices.
- Country case studies, where we look in depth at pricing strategies and tariff plans of operators in China, France, India, Japan, the UK and the US.
Reasons To Buy
- This Research Report provides a broad but detailed analysis of the mobile data opportunity worldwide, supporting industry players' business planning efforts.
- The report should help mobile operators build innovative, effective pricing strategies to drive mobile data usage and revenue.
- The report offers a wealth of pricing data from different types of operators across the world
- Case studies on China, France, India, Japan, the UK and the US examine a wide variety of innovative pricing strategies in actual use by operators.
Table Of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction
Section 1: Mobile revenue composition and forecast
1.1 Regional mobile revenue growth outlook
1.2 Breakdown of mobile data revenue by service type
1.3 Drivers of mobile data adoption
1.3.1 Smartphone sales trends worldwide
1.3.2 Proliferation of 4G networks
1.3.3 Mobile data services and pricing
1.4 Growth markets within the mobile data context
Section 2: Mobile data pricing trends and best practices
2.1 Low-cost data wins market share
2.2 Unlimited mobile data plans as disruptive strategy
2.3 Emergence of mobile data bundling
2.4 Prepaid mobile data pricing trends
2.5 Smart device bundles
2.6 Shared data plans
2.7 Specialized mobile data plans
2.8 Subsidized content
2.9 OTT-specific tariffs
2.10 Quad-play service bundling
Section 3: Country case studies
3.1 China: Rapid surge in data traffic strains mobile networks
3.1.1 Mobile data pricing strategies: network optimization and operator-branded handsets
3.1.2 Key takeaways
3.2 France: Likely consolidation among top operators to alter mobile data market dynamics
3.2.1 Mobile data pricing strategies: low tariffs, multiplay and special promotions
3.2.2 Key takeaways
3.3 India: Operators in a price war to attract subscribers and encourage data usage
3.3.1 Mobile data pricing strategies: data bundles, smartphone-vendor partnerships and low-cost data plans
3.3.2 Key takeaways
3.4 Japan: Technological advances drive the mobile data market
3.4.1 Mobile data pricing strategies: exclusive mobile application access, flat-rate data plans and competitive LTE tariffs
3.4.2 Key takeaways
3.5 The UK: Launch of 4G services boosting mobile data usage
3.5.1 Mobile data pricing strategies in the UK: SIM-only plans, quad-play services and special promotional offers
3.5.2 Key takeaways
3.6 The US: The data market's maturity is moving operators to focus on innovation
3.6.1 Mobile data pricing strategies: disruptive pricing, shared data and innovative services
3.6.2 Key takeaways
Acronyms and abbreviations
Definitions
Related resources
About Pyramid Research
List Of Tables
Exhibit 1: Global mobile voice and data revenue forecasts, 2013-2018
Exhibit 2: Data percentage of total mobile revenue and data revenue CAGR by region, 2013 to 2018
Exhibit 3:Mobile data revenue by type of service, 2013-2018
Exhibit 4: Smartphones unit sell-through and CAGR by region, 2013-2018
Exhibit 5: Smartphones as percentage of total handset sales in 15 countries, 2013
Exhibit 6: 4G subscriptions across regions, 2013-2018
Exhibit 7: Data as a percentage of overall mobile revenue in select countries, 2013
Exhibit 8: Price per megabyte charged by select mobile operators
Exhibit 9: Contribution by data and messaging to overall ARPS at EE UK, Q2 2013 to Q2 2014
Exhibit 10: Postpaid tariff plans of major operators in 11 countries
Exhibit 11: Subscriber additions and EBITDA margin at T-Mobile USA, Q1 2013 to Q2 2014
Exhibit 12: 4G penetration rates of South Korean MNOs, Q1 2013 to Q2 2014
Exhibit 13: Unlimited mobile data tariff plans by operators in select countries
Exhibit 14: Vodafone UK 4G subscription totals, September 2013 to June 2014
Exhibit 15: Swisscom NATEL infinity subscriptions, Q1 2013 to Q2 2014
Exhibit 16: Bundled data plans offered by operators in select countries
Exhibit 17: Price per megabyte of prepaid and postpaid plans of select mobile operators
Exhibit 18: Tariff details of prepaid plans of operators in select countries
Exhibit 19: Vodafone UK bundled smartphone subscriptions and churn rate, Q1 2013 to Q2 2014
Exhibit 20: Details on iPhone tariff plans in six countries
Exhibit 21: Shared data plans offered by Verizon and Sprint
Exhibit 22: Shared data plan subscriptions of Verizon and ATandT, Q1 2013 to Q1 2014
Exhibit 23: Tariff details of shared data plans launched by operators in six countries
Exhibit 24: SK Telecom LTE subscriptions and ARPS growth, Q2 2013 to Q2 2014
Exhibit 25: KDDI VAS ARPS, 2012 to 2014
Exhibit 26 : Idea Cellular OTT subscriptions, September 2013 and December 2013
Exhibit 27: Operator-OTT partnership details
Exhibit 28: Multiplay package offered by Belgacom
Exhibit 29: Belgacom ARPS by multiplay service, Q1 2013 to Q2 2014
Exhibit 30: Multiplay plans of major European operators
Exhibit 31: VAS revenue by application, China, 2013-2018
Exhibit 32: Subscriptions by network technology generation, China, 2013-2018
Exhibit 33: Mobile voice and data revenue, China, 2013-2018
Exhibit 34: Feature phone, smartphone and ULC phone sell-through, China, 2013-2018
Exhibit 35: Mobile voice and data ARPS, China, 2013-2018
Exhibit 36: China Mobile 4G tariffs
Exhibit 37: Subscriptions by network technology generation, France, 2013-2018
Exhibit 38: Mobile voice and data revenue, France, 2013-2018
Exhibit 39: Subscriptions by operator, France, 2013-2018
Exhibit 40: LTE plans of mobile operators in France
Exhibit 41: Multiplay services of SFR and Bouygues Telecom
Exhibit 42: SFR's RED mobile tariff plan
Exhibit 43: Feature phone, smartphone and ULC phone sell-through, India, 2013-2018
Exhibit 44: Subscriptions by network technology generation, India, 2013 *
Exhibit 45: Mobile voice and data revenue, India, 2013-2018
Exhibit 46: Benefits of data strategies adopted by Indian mobile operators
Exhibit 47: Mobile voice and data ARPS, India, 2013-2018
Exhibit 48: Data prices of key Indian operators (for Delhi/NCR)
Exhibit 49: Bundled data plans offered by Idea Cellular
Exhibit 50: Pricing of top-up data plans launched by Idea Cellular
Exhibit 51: Subscriptions by network technology generation, Japan, 2013-2018
Exhibit 52: Feature phone and smartphone sell-through, Japan, 2013-2018
Exhibit 53: Mobile voice and data revenue, Japan, 2013-2018
Exhibit 54: Forecast of VAS revenue by application type, Japan, 2013-2018
Exhibit 55: Tablet-specific data tariffs in Japan
Exhibit 56: Packet-based tariff plans of KDDI and NTT Docomo
Exhibit 57: Feature phone, smartphone and ULC phone sell-through, the UK, 2013-2018
Exhibit 58: Mobile voice and data revenue in the UK, 2013-2018
Exhibit 59: Details on eight SIM-only plans, the UK, 2014
Exhibit 60: Prepaid and postpaid subscriptions in the UK, 2013-2018
Exhibit 61: Feature phone, smartphone and ULC phone sell-through, the US, 2013-2018
Exhibit 62: Video and MMS revenue in the US, 2013-2018
Exhibit 63: Mobile voice and data revenue, the US, 2013-2018
Exhibit 64: Innovative data pricing strategies adopted by US mobile operators
Exhibit 65: T-Mobile Simple Choice tariff plan details
Exhibit 66: Data-only plans by Verizon and ATandT
Exhibit 67: ATandT's connected car plan
List Of Figures
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