Mobile data services will continue to be the main driver of growth in the mature IT markets until 2012, it has been claimed.

Speaking at the 3rd Mobile Pricing Symposium, hosted by Cambridge University, Margrit Sessions, managing director of research group Tariff Consultancy, said mobile data usage will increase to over one exabyte, meaning network providers need to address the economics of provisioning their networks to deal with that level of data.

"Price competition among mobile broadband providers has become intense as the cost of devices has reduced and increased network capacity has become available," she added.

Ms Sessions went on to say she expected price competition to remain severe until mobile providers learn how they can differentiate their product from the rest of the market.

Earlier this month, Andrew Lim, mobile phones editor at technology publication CNET, claimed mobile internet access will soon become a necessity for online consumers.


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