Huge growth predicted for mobile broadband industry

The global mobilebroadband industry has the potential to be worth almost £100 billion by 2014, new research suggests.

According to a study published by analysis firm Ovum, the market for 3G internet services could grow to $137billion (£94 billion) over the next five-year period.

In this time, the firm expects the number of mobilebroadband subscribers to exceed two billion around the world, including 286 million accessing the service via dongle or laptop-embedded SIM.

However, the slowest areas of growth are forecast for Africa, the Middle East and Central and South America, which will contribute around nine per cent of total service revenue by 2014.

Steven Hartley, senior analyst at Ovum and report co-author, said: "This is a staggering 1,022 per cent growth from 2008, which is when mobilebroadband supposedly took-off."

"Operators can also expect a similar growth rate for handset users of mobilebroadband services, but starting from a much larger existing base," he added.

According to a survey by Infonetics Research, there was a 125 per cent growth in mobilebroadband subscribers during 2008 compared to 2007, helping the industry to pass 210 million users.