Adjustments to the UK regulatory framework are required given consumers’ rapid adoption of mobile broadband services, according to an Ofcom-commissioned report from Analysys Mason.
The study, which forms part of Ofcom’s ‘Mobile Sector Assessment’ consultation, considers the recent dramatic increases in data service usage, which could accelerate over the next five years.
Widespread access to ‘real’ internet-based services from laptops and mobile handsets, as well as the development of new applications based around mobile IP connectivity, would offer considerable additional value to UK consumers and businesses, said Analysys.
Mike Grant, partner at Analysys Mason, said: “The current UK regulatory framework governing the delivery of mobile services was established to promote competition in infrastructure-based services that were delivered solely through mobile communications networks.
“With users increasingly focused on consumption of content across multiple networks, adjustments to the UK regulatory framework are likely to be required if the benefits of the emerging trends are to be fully realised.”
Recent data released by Bango revealed that mobile web usage in the United States will surpass the UK (see US Mobile Web Usage To Overtake UK).
According to Bango data, the top five countries accessing the mobile web via Bango in July 2008 were the UK at 19.35%, the US at 18.88%, India at 10.82%, South Africa at 8.82% and Indonesia at 4.08%.
At the start of July, Point Topic released data revealing that there are currently under three million people in the UK who are using the mobile internet (see Under 3m People In UK Use Mobile Internet).
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