Mobile - Growth of traffic is driven by very sharp increases in tablet computers

[cbr online] Tablets shipments will see a growth of 239% in 2011 compared to previuos year.

Tablet sales in 2011 will help drive a 57.8% increase in the shipments of mobile broadband devices that provide high-speed wireless connectivity while on the move, according to a new IHS iSuppli Wireless Communications topical report, from market research firm IHS.

Shipments of mobile broadband devices in 2011 are expected to grow to 157.9 million units, up from 100.1 million units in 2010, and this segment includes devices such as notebook and netbook computers, as well as e-book readers.

This year's mobile broadband devices growth rate matches the 57.4% expansion of 2010.

The report reveals that the mobile broadband devices market will continue to rise during the next few years but at lower rates, declining to 38.1% in 2012 and by 11% in 2015 to about 350.7 million units.

Within the segment, tablets will represent the fastest-growing mobile broadband device this year with shipments projected to reach 58.9 million units, up 239.3% from 17.4 million in 2010.

Tablets, largely iPad from Apple, appear to be at the forefront in boosting mobile broadband, and will
influence every node of the value chain, including suppliers, device manufacturers, mobile network operators, third-party applications and service suppliers, the report notes.

The mobile broadband segment utilises four primary methods for internet access, USB dongles, mobile hotspots, embedded modules and embedded chipsets, with pros and cons for each tool.

With the arrival of media tablets and other consumer electronics with embedded Wi-Fi capability, the mobile devices started using a 3G or 4G network as backhaul for data traffic.

Currently, mobile hotspots and embedded chipsets are the fastest-growing, growing 25 to 50% faster than the overall market.

By 2015, the report says a majority of the mobile broadband devices will use the 4G wireless standard known as long term evolution (LTE), as a connection for faster speeds and lower latencies or delays from their mobile broadband networks.

Tablets account for mobile broadband growth: Report