The use of mobile data traffic worldwide accelerated at the highest rate in six years late last year, according to a new report from consulting firm Strategy Analytics.
The analysis found a 115 percent increase in data traffic growth between the third quarter of 2016 and the same period in 2017, with India and China alone accounting for about half of that increase.
India’s Jio, the report found, carried more data than any other operator within six months of its launch, but the company’s entry into the market also curbed profits despite increasing traffic.
In China, meanwhile, unlimited data plans fueled a 166 percent jump in traffic, which helped bolster service revenue and earnings for carriers in the world’s largest country.
The Strategy Analytics report also noted that Vodafone experienced early success with its “Passes” program, which allows users to purchase passes to exempt certain features from its data allocation. Eight million Vodafone customers used Passes by the end of September, which more than doubled its traffic growth in Europe without impacting spending.
“Operators need to evaluate both their market environment and customer segment priorities when contemplating unlimited plan options,” analysts wrote.
Filed Under: Carriers
