Mobile operators are all set to turn into dump pipes, with GSMA predicting their data revenues overtaking voice revenues globally by 2018 as we move towards a fully connected world. A surge in demand for connected devices and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications is driving this trend, transforming the “socioeconomic future of people” in both developed and developing countries.
In developed countries:
- mHealth could save $400 billion in healthcare costs
- Connected cars could save one in nine lives through emergency calling services
- mEducation can reduce student drop-outs by eight per cent or 1.8 million children
- Smart metering can cut carbon emissions by 27 million tones – the equivalent of planting 1.2 billion trees
In developing countries:
- mHealth can help save one million lives in sub-Saharan Africa
- mAutomotive will improve food transport and storage, which could help feed more than 40 million people annually – equivalent to entire the population of Kenya
- mEducation can enable 180 million students to further their education
- Intelligent transport systems could reduce commute times by 35 per cent, giving commuters back a whole week each year
Before I let you go, it’s worth adding that during last year, Japan became the first country where data revenues exceeded voice revenues, due largely to the availability of advanced mobile broadband networks and a higher adoption of the latest smartphones, tablets and connected devices.
And you can learn more about this from the full “Connected Living” report, available from here.