MDA releases mobile growth trends data

Mike Short, chairman of the Mobile Data Association, said: "The report contains some very compelling indications that mobile usage is evolving. While the strong upward curve of SMS volumes continues, perhaps a more telling headline number is the penetration of mobile internet usage and MMS. We are really starting to see a much greater variety of mobile data volumes."

Key headlines from the report include:

- UK consumers ‘click’ with mobile picture messaging

- UK mobile industry never stronger ahead of next week’s global mobile conference in Barcelona

- Some 23% of mobile phone users are now accessing the internet on their phone

- 5,000 text messages are sent every second in the UK

Statistics to support this are:

2007 annual figures

Text Messaging (SMS) total = 56,922,541,647

Picture Messaging (MMS) total = 448,962,359

Mobile Internet (MI) total users = 17,589,351

Seasonal figures

• 290,334,846 text messages were sent on New Years Eve 2007, 30% more than New Years Eve 2006
• 1,977,308 video and picture messages were sent on New Years Eve 2007

Picture Messaging (MMS)

The MDA says, in its first ever aggregation of MMS statistics from UK mobile operators, there is a clear indication of the interest UK consumers have in snapping and sending picture and video messages. 

MMS headline statistics

• 55% growth of MMS messages sent in December 2007 (32 million sent in December 2006 Vs 58 million sent in December 2007)
• 448,962,359 MMS picture messages sent in 2007, the equivalent of 19 million traditional (24 exposure) rolls of camera film

Mobile Internet (MI)

• 17 million people accessed the Internet on their phone in December. This equates to 23% of mobile users in UK

Text Messaging (SMS)

• 6 billion text messages were sent in December 2007 - almost 5,000 every second
• 40% year on year growth in SMS volumes

This article was first published on brandrepublic.com