Mobile data consumption is set to skyrocket within the next decade as 5G networks spur on increased usage, new research has claimed.
A report from giffgaff has estimated that users will consume an average of 98.34GB every month by 2025 as smartphones become even more central to everyday life.
Mobile video streaming is set to be the catalyst behind the increase, especially as more smartphones become able to support 4K content in coming years. Giffgaff's report predicts that by 2021, users will consumer 24.76GB of mobile data on video streaming, a huge rise from the 0.83GB seen in 2017 - and this is only set to rise to hit a huge 73.87GB by 2025.
Online browsing will also see a significant rise, hitting 14.17GB by 2025, compared to just 0.34GB last year, with messaging also set to see a major increase, reaching 40.63GB by 2025.
Data-hungry
The report follows initial research from the low-cost operator last year which estimated that global mobile data usage is set to increase by 720 per cent by 2021 as customers use their devices even more, and 5G networks see a public launch a year previously.
“This new research shows a monumental shift in how people will use mobile phones in the next seven years – not just as communication devices, but as connectivity hubs," said Kim Faura, chief commercial officer at giffgaff.
"For millions of people, using a mobile phone for music and video streaming is more important than its traditional use for calls and texts. With the launch of 5G, we will finally have the bandwidth to deliver speeds even faster than home broadband. Consumers need to bear this in mind when signing up for a two-year contract; 5G will be here in two years and many users will want a phone that will let them enjoy all 5G has to offer.”
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