Mobile data - a dream coming true

Over the last couple of days and weeks, Asia Business Consulting reported about dreams and hopes of companies betting on 3G, not only here in Asia but also in Europe. So far, data about growth for such applications have frequently been exaggerated, as most mobile phone users still use their phones mainly for voice and SMS, both applications that are quickly becoming commodities, and subject to price wars of mobile phone carriers.

However, slowly but steadily, the scenery is changing, and over in Japan, the usage of mobile data is already booming. A survey conducted by the Mobile Contents Forum (MCF) found out that Japan's paid content market for fiscal 2003 (4/03 to 3/04) increased by 31%.

While the musical ring tone service accounts for 60% of the market - and show a slower growth of only 11%, game applications are also growing rapidly.

One warning to those data - while they sound hard, and based on financial figures, we shouldn't forget who announced the results - still, if true, the good times for mobile carriers are not going to be over any time soon.