Pre Pay mobile broadband to dominate worldwide internet access

A new study from Tariff Consultancy into Pre Pay (Pay-As-You-Go) Mobile Broadband services has revealed that they will become the norm for the majority of users to access the Internet worldwide, with a third of a billion users by the end of 2013.

Presently some 300 network operators around the world are offering 3G HSPA based Pre Pay Mobile Broadband services, which can deliver download speeds of up to 14.4Mbps. The most prolific users can be found in the Asia Pacific, with subscriber numbers expected to soar 10 fold over the 3 year period to 160 million and the Americas region seeing a growth rate of almost 7 times.

Many Mobile Broadband providers are following a range of strategies. In a lot of countries providers are charging a premium for mobile Internet connectivity with a relatively small data allowance. But in others, such as some operators in the UK, Pre Pay Mobile Broadband providers offer high data allowances with a low cost per GB which are on a par with fixed-line broadband services. Article