Mobile data services will 'revolutionise' people's lives

25 February 2013

Reducing health service costs by hundreds of billions and the saving of millions of lives, are amongst the ways in which an "explosion" in mobile data demand is to transform the future for people across the world, a new report has said.

Findings from GSMA, the body that represents mobile operators worldwide, said data revenues would exceed voice revenues globally by 2018.

The reason was the surge in demand for connected devices that could change people's lives.

In developed countries $400bn could be saved in healthcare costs through mobile health.

The same countries could also see 35,000 lives saved by "connected cars" through emergency calling services.

Mobile education could reduce student drop-outs by eight per cent – a total of 1.8 million children.

And street metering could cut carbon emissions by the equivalent of planting 1.2 billion trees.

Developing counties too could see major changes from mobile. Mobile health could save one million lives in sub-Saharan Africa alone.

40 million people could be fed every year through 'mAutomotive', which would improve food transport and storage.

And mobile education would allow 180 million students to further their education.

"Mobile data is not just a commodity, but is becoming the lifeblood of our daily lives, society and economy, with more and more connected people and things," said Michael O'Hara, chief marketing officer at GSMA.

"This is an immense responsibility and the mobile industry needs to continue collaborating with governments and key industry sectors to deliver products and services that help people around the world improve their businesses and societies."