OTT COMMUNICATION SERVICES WORLDWIDE: FORECASTS 2013–2018

IP messaging is turning out to be a 'killer app' in the mobile Internet, but although operators' own IP-based initiatives, whether RCS or proprietary, will limit substitution in some countries, they will only secure minority shares of the market.
Voice and messagingApps from over-the-top (OTT) communication service providers are disrupting mobile markets by offering voice and messaging services with (often) superior user experience at minimal cost. This report quantifies their impact and provides detailed forecasts for operator-provided and OTT communication services in 47 countries and 6 regions worldwide. It is accompanied by a strategy report.

This report provides:
active user forecasts for OTT voice and messaging services by smartphone, tablet and PC
traffic forecasts for OTT voice and messaging services by device
a comparison of take-up and usage of traditional circuit-switched voice and messaging services with next-generation service adoption and usage (including VoLTE and RCS/proprietary IP messaging services)
retail revenue for operator-provided voice and messaging services
full data sets for 47 individual countries and 8 regions.

GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE

Data is presented for each of the following regions.
North America
Western Europe
Central and Eastern Europe

Developed Asia–Pacific
Emerging Asia–Pacific
Latin America

Middle East and North Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa

The following countries are modelled individually.
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
China
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece

Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Lithuania
Mexico
Netherlands
Nigeria
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania

Russia
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
UAE
United Kingdom
USA

DATA COVERAGE

Users of non-operator/OTT services
Traffic
VoIP and IP messaging
Smartphone, tablet, PC/laptop
Non-operator/OTT:
VoIP and IP messaging
Smartphone, tablet
Operator (mobile):
CS voice, IP voice
SMS, IP messaging
Smartphone, basic handset

Mobile operator connections
Mobile revenue
CS voice, IP voice
Prepaid, contract
Smartphone, basic handset
Voice, messaging
Retail revenue
Average spend per user (ASPU)