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Use of Wireless Data Technology Expected to Skyrocket
Primarily driven by messaging, wireless data adoption over the next few years will skyrocket worldwide, according to a report released by a US high-tech market research firm Wednesday.
Cahners In-Stat Group predicted that the wireless data market will grow from about 170 million subscribers worldwide in 2000 to greater than 1.3 billion in 2004. As a result, more than 1.5 billion handsets, personal digital assistants and Internet appliances are expected to be equipped with wireless capabilities by the end of 2004.
The number of wireless messages sent per month will increase from 3 billion in December to 244 billion by December 2004, the report said. Other features such as mobile commerce applications, entertainment, real-time financial information, travel and location-based information services will also be popular but will take longer to reach the market.
Illustrating the potential for wireless data, In-Stat cited the United States, where there are more than 60 million households with wired Internet access and more than 100 million wireless phones.
The high rate of Internet penetration in the United States could discourage some from subscribing to wireless data services as many Americans are accustomed to high-speed wireline connections to the Web that deliver graphic-rich data.
Wireless data cannot match those speeds. But the research firm said that many will still opt for the technology to gain increased mobility and convenience.
Due to lower PC and wired Internet penetration rate and higher wired line prices, many European and Japanese are not used to high-speed Web service and their primary access to the Internet or email is through their mobile phones, the report said.
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