Growth in Mobile Messaging To Continue Despite Downturn
in Global Economy
“Independent study commissioned by Airwide Solutions predicts positive outlook
for future of mobile messaging”
READING, U.K. and BURLINGTON, Mass. – December 17, 2008 - Airwide Solutions, the mobile messaging specialists of choice for more than 140 mobile operators worldwide today reveals the results of an independent study conducted by comScore M:Metrics on the use of mobile messaging across the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The results prove that despite warnings of turmoil throughout the global economy, growth in mobile messaging shows no signs of slowing. The study shows that the number of people sending text messages (SMS) across the EU is growing 3.3 percent year on year, a figure only beaten by MMS which is growing by 9.2 percent.
The UK is faring particularly well with over 25 million text messages sent each day. Growth is driven in particular by people who earn over £30,000 as those sending SMS messages every day is increasing 16.9 percent year on year. However, the growth in mobile messaging by those earning less than £30,000 is also doing well with almost 4 percent annual growth of those sending SMS everyday.
France is seeing the second biggest increase with 8.1 percent more people sending text messages this year than the same period last year. Interestingly the French have also been the most keen to embrace picture messaging with 15.2 percent more people sending MMS than in 2007 (the biggest increase across Europe).
However, it is not only Europe which is seeing a continued growth in SMS and MMS. Airwide predicts a worldwide growth in mobile messaging over the next few years, particularly in less economically developed and newly industrialised regions such Asia and Africa where fixed lines are expensive and difficult to set up. It is in these regions, where mobile phones are being used not only as a communications tool but also as a driver for social change, making communications easier, cheaper and much less time-consuming.
In the Western World growth will be fuelled by a combination of mobile operators introducing a greater number of personalised services such as out-of-office, auto-forward and storage/back-up capabilities along with a continued uptake in mobile marketing and advertising – a development which in 2009 will see the introduction of location based mobile advertising.
Jay Seaton, Chief Marketing Office at Airwide Solutions commented: “Whilst an increase in mobile messaging traffic is certainly good news for the industry, it also underlines the need to ensure that an operator’s underlying infrastructure is efficient and equipped to support the increase in traffic volumes over the years ahead. With most people now relying on their text and picture messages being delivered instantaneously, mobile operators cannot afford for their infrastructure to become congested. As the volume of messaging increases, they also need to be able to protect their networks and subscribers from potential security threats such as mobile fraud, spam and viruses.”
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About Airwide Solutions
Airwide Solutions is the leading provider of next-generation mobile messaging and wireless internet infrastructure, applications and solutions. Its products help more than 140 wireless operators worldwide drive mobile messaging usage and revenues and enable them to leverage multiple delivery channels and next-generation infrastructure in new and more powerful ways. With a history of industry firsts – including the first text message ever sent, the introduction of the first SMS router, the first A2P MMS push gateway and mobile service control which enables mobile context, personalization and profiling – the company continues to pioneer new technologies. Airwide’s open, tiered Fusion architecture offers mobile operators advanced revenue options, a practical pathway to Mobile Messaging 2.0 and a foundation to bridge mobile messaging and the mobile internet.
Airwide Solutions operates globally with offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, India, the Middle East and Africa. For more information about Airwide Solutions, please visit www.airwidesolutions.com.
For more information please contact:
Brenda Suarez
Airwide Solutions
Email: brenda.suarez@airwidesolutions.com
Tel: 781-229-2406 ext. 2731
Gemma Yates
Mi liberty
Email: airwidepr@miliberty.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7751 4444
Kristin Conforti
PAN Communications
Email: airwide@pancomm.com
Tel: 978-474-1900
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