While there are some who are still not convinced about the reliability of mobile broadband, many experts predict that mobile phone networks will soon connect more people to the internet than traditional copper wire telephone cables. If the predictions are true then the next few years could be very difficult for the likes of BT who depend heavily on internet based income for their business model.
The report for You Gov shows that while mobile broadband connections were near non-existent just 12 months ago, they now account for one in ten broadband internet connections. If the industry is able to increase the reliability factor and ramp up the broadband speeds then we may have a real fight on our hands. Interestingly, as the cost of landline based broadband access is set to rise, we are seeing downward pressure on the cost of mobile broadband services.
Even though mobile broadband seems to be more popular with business users, and those who are regularly on the move, the service is making great inroads into the traditional home based landline market. While there is still some work to be done on broadband speeds, it seems that the lack of investment into fibre optic cables may well open up a gap in the market for mobile broadband services.